Page 24 - iNETrepreneur.magazine.Dec.2020.final

Overcoming Obstacles

With A Relationship

Focused Networking

Organization

by Robert W. Jones

In my walk as a business owner and entrepreneur, one thing matters more than any other is people and the
constant cultivation of relationships. Although, when I have come across many starting entrepreneurs, they
say nearly all the time that they wanted to become an entrepreneur, because they wanted to be able to be
“free.” To be free takes one thing, the capture and taming of an elusive animal called success. If freedom is
what we want, then we must find success first. And success only comes by building successful relationships
and overcoming obstacles.

Success is the price to being an Depression to many things, including anxiety.
entrepreneur, and that price is the Anxiety creates a perfect storm
ability to serve others and build a Depression comes about due for the entrepreneur including
foundation for profit and growth, to isolation caused when many bad decisions, lack of sleep, and
but for this price of “freedom” entrepreneurs do not count the irritability. In time, because of the
entrepreneurs face many cost of being with other people. onset of anxiety, an entrepreneur
obstacles. Entrepreneurs face When they are working for a may develop an assortment of
more than the obvious obstacles business or with a corporation, physical and mental aliments.
such as the pain of a cold call, the they get to interact with many
set-up of an accounting system or people each day. When they leave Over Independence
lost client. They must face the non- that world, sometimes I call the
technical psychological aspects of “cubicle world”, they go to work Entrepreneurs are independent
running a business. at a home alone, something that people. They often lack the one
I call “entrepreneurial solitary word that they need most, and
Entrepreneurs many times must confinement.” After weeks and that is to ask— ask for help, ask for
face uncertainty, unknown even months of this, loneliness a mentor, ask for a coach, ask for
challenges, and economic and depression set in due to the money. Many entrepreneurs are
pressures which can lead constant isolation. a bit too independent and fail to
to depression and anxiety. reach out for help when they need
Entrepreneurs must also get over Stress to tackle things that are out of
themselves. They may be “over” their scope. It’s very hard to wear
independent, lack a support circle, Many established and emerging the hats of what you do from a
or struggle with self-worth. These entrepreneurs struggle with technical standpoint, a managerial
internal and external pressure stress, which can take many standpoint, an ownership
lead to a lack of the ability to forms. It could be financial, it can standpoint, and even what I call
continuously maintain stability. be family, it can be time for self- the magician standpoint.
care—but stress over time leads

24