One thing this era of real-time information and instant feedback has done (thank you Twitter, Facebook, forums, etc.) is to make magazines - and print publications in general - become very good at what they do and, lest they perish, better all the time.
Two great examples of very good publications are Inc. Magazine (you're waiting a whole month for a new edition – 30 days!) and The Week (you guessed it...published every seven days).
Both are anxiously awaited and consumed at first sight. The Week not only provides exhaustive articles about the past week in politics, business, arts, etc., but various other writers and editors view on the same story providing a well-rounded, sort of non-partisan, look at a particular current topic.
Inc. Magazine, The Magazine for Growing Companies, is one I have lived with for many years. Each edition provides profiles of small- to medium-size businesses who, at some point, had the dream of creating and building a company. Grant it, Inc. considers small companies as those with millions in revenue, but I can dream, can’t I? Overall Inc. is very motivating and essential reading for this business owner. I admit I become a little giddy when the annual Inc. 500 edition featuring the fastest growing privately held companies arrives in my mailbox.
One of the articles in this month's Inc., which is both motivating and instructional, is “Dear Future Entrepreneur.” This article gives us advice from the founders of companies who are living the dream they dared to have. Here is some advice they have to share with us, the “next generation” of entrepreneurs:
Tomorrow Can’t Wait – “I look back and think, ‘Why didn’t I get started sooner?’” - Cloud Ettinger, Founder and president, Red Cloud
Focus – Don’t diversify, always “go back to your original premise.” - Kimberly Kovacs, Co-founder and CEO, OptionEase
Remember Where You Came From – His employees are trained to do at least one good deed a day. - JJ Frazier, Founder and CEO, New Horizon Security Services
Start Now – “You’ll never be fully prepared to start a business." - Michael Simmons, Co-founder and CEO, Extreme Entrepreneurship Education
Learn by Doing – With your business, “You’re in the best university in the world.” - Steve Vicinanza, CEO, BlueWave Computing
Start Early – “When you start younger, you have the guidance you need.” - Taliay Herbert, Founder, Baggie Swagg
Open Pandora’s Box – “Business is about testing your boundaries.” - Stephen Mills, Founder and CEO, Aqiwo
Dare to Dream – This entrepreneur was laughed his the face by executives at Rite-Aid, his employer, for his idea to improve services. So he left and started his own company to provide those services. - Reddy Annappareddy, Founder and president, Pharmacare
The entire article, including great photos of the founders (think body-writing!) can be viewed here.
Best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas and Peaceful New Year!
- Steve Curtsinger
