I'm Not Afraid

As with other topics in my blog the concept I want to discuss today is something very simple, but is often feared in the young entrepreneurial world. I have discussed the simple ideas of good business such as "talking" and today I want to point out the importance of "asking". The term "asking" can be quite broad and with what I am discussing today I am using it in a broader sense. Many of the fellow young entrepreneurs I have come across are always great talkers, but quiver when it comes to the idea of "asking". Asking questions, asking favors, everything and anything. When starting your own company it is going to be a struggle and if you think you can do it ALL on your own then you are kidding yourself and not mature enough to venture into this world. When starting a company the odds are unfortunately against you and enlisting all the help you can will help you get through what might be some rough times. I am not sure why, but so many people seem to be afraid to ask for help or clarification. I assume some of it has to do with not wanting to admit you have a weakness. In the business world competition prays on weaknesses and even more so on the mere thought of someone else's weakness. The truth of the matter is everyone has weaknesses and without asking questions to understand the correct answers you will never advance yourself. To be completely honest, when I first started the company I was the exact same way. I was playing ball in the major leagues and was too afraid to admit what I didn't know or ask for assistance with certain tasks. At times it was quite unbearable trying to figure out certain business practices with no one around to lend a hand. Although overly stressed I refused to ask for help because I did not want to show the "established" businessmen my lack of experience. When talking to executives I would often nod my head yes, take notes and figure out what they were talking about after the fact. That plan did not last too long before my mentor caught me on a conference call feeling uncomfortable with what was being discussed. After the call he asked me to discuss with him my thoughts about the call. He knew very well I had no idea what was happening. Very quickly he began to tell me that there was absolutely nothing wrong with asking questions. He assured me that there were many things he did not know and would always ask questions about, even with his level of experience. Something that he made me realize very quickly was that senior level people, in any line of business, have a certain level of respect for young entrepreneurs. Although they may act tough, they were once in our shoes and know that it is impossible to know everything at our stage in the game. Asking questions not only allows you to learn more quickly, but it establishes your respect for senior level businessmen's knowledge and expertise. Showing that respect can often lead to a better work environment for everyone. It also ensures that next time you will have a better understanding and bring more to the table. It was amazing that when I got over my fear how quickly things changed. First off, the anxiety that I often carried around with me was lifted, which seemed to make everything smoother. Second, the expansion of my knowledge grew at a rapid pace. Being more open to learning, I consumed more information about the business than before. This growth in knowledge made me a better businessman in every future meeting. Third, by breaking the ice and asking questions, that I thought everyone else knew, it broke the ice for others to feel comfortable to ask questions. This made me realize that I truly was not the only one with uncertainty. With everyone more willing to admit what they didn't know we all learned our trade more efficiently. My mentor always said that he will never stop learning and never stop asking questions. It takes a certain level of maturity to admit what you don't know, but if you have that ability it will make you and everyone around you a better businessman. Asking questions shows others that you have a desire to move forward and do not wish to stay at a plateau. Along with asking questions another important aspect of "asking" is asking for help from friends, family and colleagues. Over and over again I see many entrepreneurs try and carry the weight of the world on their shoulders and often times fall, because they have too much pride to ask for assistance. Starting a company is a very difficult undertaking and there are always things that will go wrong. Some business may start with one man, but when they expand and really take off there are usually multiple people there to spread its' wings. Friends and family are valuable assets to a startup company and most of the time their help is free. For my company whether it was asking for connections, physical labor or just simple advice we would not be where we are today without them. It is with their love and support that we were able to stay afloat and continue to grow our business. When college ended I quickly asked my family if I could move back home, for free, so I could build the company. If they had said "no" I would most likely have had to take a dreaded day job and not put all of my focus into our company. With my first feature film I reached out to my cousin to assist in securing a rock legend for one of the supporting roles. It was favors like these that pushed me and the company forward. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking questions and asking favors when you start a company. You will be pleasantly surprised to find how many people are actually willing to rally behind you and your endeavors. Do not be afraid to admit what you do not know because the only way to change that is to ask for the answer. Do not be afraid to to ask for assistance because everyone needs a helping hand at one time or another. By having the maturity to simply ask, you will grow as an entrepreneur and your company will prosper along with you. Sincerely, An Independent Producer An Independent Producer is an anonymous film producer working in Michigan. He writes a weekly column for Benzinga every Monday, and he can be reached at anindependentproducer@gmail.com.