The current issue of the Colorado Stateman newspaper has my advice for citizens trying to decide what to do next, I think the same 5 points apply to anyone trying to decide what to do next with their career, those starting in a new direction with their career, a new project, or a new business. See http://www.coloradostatesman.com/guest_columns

I'm forming a new Franklin Circle for entrepreneurs, business owners, and creative managers. If you'd like more information and an invitation to our first meeting contact me at John@JohnWren.com or (303)861-1447.

Why do we need startups? How many startups are enough? Will we ever not need any more new businesses?

Years ago I heard Kenneth Boulding, perhaps the most famous economist to ever teach at the University of Colorado, give his answer to this question.

"The problem is the economists pie chart," he said. "There is no pie. There is just a bunch of damned little tarts."

Large businesses and labor unions will always exist because of economies of scale. But eventually these large organzations get better and better at doing the wrong thing. As technology changes, new opportunities are created.

What's your tart?

Most successful businesses start with an Aha! moment. If you want help finding yours, attend the free, open Denver IDEA Cafe some Friday afternoon, or call me right now and let's talk on the telephone about how I might be helpful to you. Call me at (303)861-1447. John Wren

I don't agree with everything in 37Signal's new book Rework, but I agree with what they say about business planning:

Unless you’re a fortune- teller, long- term business planning
is a fantasy. There are just too many factors that are
out of your hands: market conditions, competitors, customers,
the economy, etc. Writing a plan makes you feel
in control of things you can’t actually control.
Why don’t we just call plans what they really are:
guesses. Start referring to your business plans as business
guesses, your financial plans as financial guesses, and
your strategic plans as strategic guesses. Now you can
stop worrying about them as much. They just aren’t
worth the stress.
When you turn guesses into plans, you enter a danger
zone. Plans let the past drive the future. They put
blinders on you. “This is where we’re going because,
well, that’s where we said we were going.” And that’s the
problem: Plans are inconsistent with improvisation.
And you have to be able to improvise. You have to
be able to pick up opportunities that come along. Sometimes
you need to say, “We’re going in a new direction
because that’s what makes sense today.”
The timing of long- range plans is screwed up too.
You have the most information when you’re doing
something, not before you’ve done it. Yet when do you
write a plan? Usually it’s before you’ve even begun.
That’s the worst time to make a big decision.

If you are in Denver, join us any Friday for the Denver IDEA Cafe. Free, open workshop focused on startup. We invite successful people to share their experience and we brainstorm. More info and optional RSVP at http://meetup.com/Denver-IDEA-Cafe or call (303)861-1447

This is an experiment.

My little book on startup has sold hundreds of copies, I've gotten lots of positive feedback and never a complaint.

You can read it right now by clicking on the free link to the right.

Life's short, let's get started!

John

John S. Wren, MBA+
www.JohnWren.com
Life's short, start now!
(303)861-1447