The UCP

The UCP

Any fresh/soon-to-be Founders out there?

I mentioned last week that learning to be a better Founder means unlearning some habits/behaviour that have carried you through your career so far.

My first example of that was learning that I was doing myself a disservice trying to do everything alone (ironic for a solopreneur I know) and knowing when to get help.

But equally as important as saying help is saying NO.

Not in a stubborn, ego-filled, “my idea is better” kind of way.

In building a career you’re taught to say yes – to projects, processes, customers, leadership – either for the money, experience, exposure, or workplace dynamics.

Saying no can be taken as a sign of not being a team player.

When you are trying to lead a company though, saying no is absolutely essential. They’ll be customers that aren’t a good fit. They’ll be customers who are a good fit whose ideas aren’t.

Saying no involves focusing on what delivers the most value to the client and being able to decline requests that just don’t make sense – financially, by project scope, or for a host of other reasons.

And for me, this approach has led to clients describing me as “not your typical consultant” because I always try and prioritize actual impact and value over charging for unnecessary hours.

I know it can be scary but trust me.

Say yes to saying no.