The new entrepreneur….our executive status in ourselves/ the enterprise organization called “self.” Yes, that is you; the job seeker, the underemployed, the employee, and the owner of your life. You are the CEO of an enterprise organization called “self.”

Have we thought of ourselves, in whatever capacity we are in, as the owner of our life, the entrepreneur and/or CEO? Perhaps many have had this epiphany but for most we are running our day and managing our time and tasks not really understanding how pivotal and volatile our business (our life status) is at this moment. Now, I am not commenting on, “let’s live for the moment” or “appreciate the time we have here as it is short,” which is all quite true. I am talking about our executive status in ourselves and how do we most importantly manage this enterprise organization called “self.”

Let’s break down how to manage our organization into the next 100 days. Who’s with me? Where do we start and what do we do? For most this is easy. For many others and me it is a step to making the CEO/entrepreneur role a bit more focused as we weave through all our life interruptions of social media, work, and home, etc.

Use the first 100 days to build your CEO or Entrepreneur skills. What does this mean? Is it simple? No! Is it easy to spit out and write? Of course! Is it rocket science? Certainly not! It is, organization, time management, routines, to do lists, and self-promotion. The time you invest in these efforts will pay returns to you for years to come.

Entrepreneurs have little support. Most people have little support. Get organized. So much easier said than done, I know AND so many ways to get from here to there but which way is up to you. I am so not organized all the time but I am organized when it counts. Learn time management skills. A couple of suggested reading materials:

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, David Allen (Penguin, 2002)

How to Get Control of Your Time and Life, Alan Lakein (Signet, 1973)

TO DO LIST… now that we know why we are doing what we are doing, how about knowing what to do to accomplish the WHY. Know exactly what you choose to accomplish each day. Plan your day ahead of time, or at least 60% of it in advance. Prioritize what is most important and highlight the most important.
ROUTINES…not in my DNA but I make in fit in there some how. The life of an entrepreneur can be lonely. You are on your own and at times you will feel invisible (especially all the people who I speak with that are in transition; you know what I am mean). Give yourself some consistency in your day or week. Examples, meeting with an accountability group (advisors), meeting with someone for coffee, a consistent networking meeting, or daily exercise; something that is the same and make it routine.
PROMOTE YOURSELF…hard for some but a definite must. Find ways to tell people your successes. People gravitate towards successes, not sob stories. Promote yourself and pay it forward (help someone else be successful).

AND DID I MENTION THE WHY STATEMENT? YES, remind yourself of it every day.

Is this information new? No. Is it helpful? Perhaps. Perhaps it is a way for me to better improve myself and all of this writing is for my benefit alone. Constant reminders are good however they come about to us. I am sure I am not alone in my thinking that this reminder is important.

Don’t doubt your journey as a CEO / Entrepreneur (your life status). It’s your enterprise. Your business. Your life. Own it. Do it. Live it. Work it. BE IT. It’s all up to you.

Yes, we are the new entrepreneurs. It is our executive status in ourselves, the enterprise organization, called “self” that we are living today, tomorrow, and so on. Weather you are the job seeker, the underemployed, the employee, CEO, entrepreneur, or the owner of your life. You are the CEO of an enterprise organization called “self.”

Be with me the next 100 days and let’s get this organization where we want it to be. Who’s with me?

Best regards,

Irvine Technology Corporation


      Annette Smith
      Director, Business Technology Development
         - Client Account Manager

Email: annette.smith@ITCcorp.com I Direct: 714.434.8844 I Cell: 714.716.7840 I Fax: 714.434.8869

201 E. Sandpointe Ave., Suite 300, Santa Ana, CA 92707
An Affiliate of The First American Corporation (NYSE: FAF)

Website: www.irvinetechcorp.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/azsmith
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AnnetteSmith

Kind thanks to Rainer Paul of IMS. Reference: Jim Randel and Rainer Paul. 2010. “The Skinny on Direct Sales, your first 100 days.” RAND Publishing