 When I first started my business in 2011, I thought I could finally apply what I had learnt when I was taking diploma in business back in polytechnic.
By that time, I already left my decent-paying job, registered my company, and was getting ready to serve my first two official clients. Boy, was I wrong! What I learnt during that diploma level was focusing more on how to operate a business. When I owned my company, I realised that I not only need to know on how to operate my business, I also had just begun my entreprenuerial journey. Operating a business and being an entrepreneur, are two different things. Operating a business is about ensuring the day-to-day activities. It is like the machine are well-oiled. But someone needs to get the business forward. I realised this when I had completed serving my first two official clients. The question I asked my self was. What’s next? I kept finding out ways on how to get more clients. I started to attend business seminars and workshops. One of the business seminars I attended was very eye-opening for me. It was organised by Safinah Institute owned by Ustaz Mizi Wahid. Mr Umar Marican, a very successful Singaporean business owner who was based in New York, was the guest speaker. Mr Umar shared one important lesson. He said that for every business, even small businesses, to be successful, there must be three components in terms of the manpower management.
Mr Umar explained that: “The Entrepreneurial component (usually the business owners), are the ones who looks at the company’s strategies and plans. They are visionary people. They envision the direction of the business. They are like the compass.” “The Operations component, on the other hand, are the hands and legs of the business. They are on the ground, ensuring the business is moving upon receiving the directions from those sitting in the Entrepreneurial component. "The Management are the ones who play the linkage between the Entrepreneur and Operations. Management is the ones who manages resources, breaks down the vision into smaller, achievable goals and milestones, and identify suitable people (for Operations) to execute the plans.” Mr Umar added that he was well aware that not everyone were cut to take on component 1 successfully. However, all is not lost. Entrepreneurship is a skill, which is learnable through practice and experience. Mr Umar recommended to start a business still. What is the solution then? “If you as the business owner who is more of a “Operations”-type”, work with partners who are very entrepreneurial and also enjoys managing. In that way, the partners are complementing one another’s strengths. That will keep the business forward.” Profound! What are your takes on this? Towards your continued success, Hazriq Idrus | Creative Leadership & Public Speaking Strategist, | Author of 9 books, including "The Stage Fright Antidote!" About the writer: Hazriq Idrus is a stage actor turned professional speaker specialising in Creative Leadership; and he is also a Public Speaking Strategist. Using techniques from the theatre, Hazriq delivers keynote talks and training programmes that are interactive and experiential in nature. He founded The Speaking Factory Pte Ltd with a mission to help leaders and their team members connect, communicate and co-create effectively by unlocking their creative potentials. Hazriq is contactable at [email protected].
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