Are you using the right tools to grow your business ? Or are you still using the old ones you’ve always used ?

If this parrot is more creative than you are, then perhaps a coach or mentor can help you find new ways to build your company too.

On Saturday I got part way to my dream of speaking at TED.  I was able to speak at TEDx Edmonton about something I’m super passionate about.

As a kid in school I was always told I wouldn’t do well because I didn’t fit the system.  In high school & university I figured the system out and beat it – graduating while being able to run little companies on the side.

The problem was the school system never say nor nurtured my entrepreneurial traits.  They also never showed starting & owning a company as equal to careers like law, medicine, dentistry etc.  Amazingly they actually felt working for government was a better career move that starting my own business.

Thankfully my father & grandfather nurtured – or perhaps forced is a better word – me into running my own business.  I grew up feeling sick thinking about having a ‘job’.  So an entrepreneur I’ve been.

My TEDx talk which I’ll post soon was about “Raising Kids to Be Entrepreneurs Instead of Lawyers Will Change the World”.  And my TED Wish if I’m giving the chance to speak at TED (nominations are welcome) is to see Entrepreneurs be viewed as equal to professions that schools push kids into currently: Law, Engineering, Medicine, Dentistry, Teaching, Finance, etc.

Were you raised as an entrepreneur?  What’s your story?  I’d love to read your comments…

In my second year of university I took an organizational behavior course. One day my professor was teaching us how to hire people. I remember thinking, “This is stupid. It’s all textbook stuff that he’s just reading to us. I’ll bet he’s never interviewed or hired anyone.” So I threw my hand up and asked him point-blank, “Um, have you ever actually interviewed or hired anyone?”

“No, have you?” He replied. Uh, wrong question!

I replied, “Yes, in fact, I have. I have nine people working for me now in a house painting business I started.” 
Wrong answer!

The whole class turned around to look at me after my response, and right then and there I began teaching people how to hire great employees as I went on a fifteen-minute diatribe of what it’s really like to hire awesome people.

I didn’t become BFFs with the prof, but I got a cute girl’s phone number and serious classroom clout.

Just a quick reminder to put down the books and start doing it – you’ll learn more than the books can teach you.