It Takes All Kinds

Yesterday was a real eye opener. I helped build a website, or re-build a website, or... well, there was lots of key strokes and mouse button clicking going on. You see we are, at this point, a two man operation. Maybe 2.5 on a good day. I am the operations and sales side of the business and my partner is the programming and nuts and bolts side. Together we make a good team. But I figured I needed to learn how to do some of the stuff he does because, like any start up, we anticipate massive growth and I might be needed. I actually enjoyed it, to a certain extent. However his little red chair that fits his boney butt, does not fit my slightly larger rear end and I could barely walk by the end of the day. I came to realize I really enjoy the "creating" side of things but he is better at it. Not just because he has spent countless hours learning how to do it but because that is what he is built to do.

We are a good match. Revenue generation and company direction falls into my skill set and not in his. While he just gets the keystroking, mouse clicking side of things. It makes sense to him. I have to suffer through it like he would suffer through walking into a strangers place of business and asking them to buy something. I think we are naturally attracted to people that balance us out, and in business it is no exception.

However, often times when start ups launch, I see that there are two people with similar skill sets that partner up. Usually it's two idea guys getting each other all worked up over a beer and swearing that "this business model can't fail." The problem they have nobody to do the actual work. Or you have couple of skilled workers who are tired of their boss, venture out on their own, and have no idea how to run a business and are really surprised when there aren't customers beating down their door.

The most successful companies learn to work in their strengths and manage their weaknesses. Your strengths will never mean as much to your bottom line as your weaknesses. My suggestion, if there's a guy with a little red office chair on the side of the road looking for work, partner up with him.


www.e35creative.com