Starting-up a non-profit Start-up, one man’s view
After seeing a plethora of blarg in the Twit-space on good management practices and other ideas from consultants who have never been in a start-up, I am moved to share my experience as I fumble along. I, foolishly, thought that my ‘vast’ ha ha experience working for 5 different commercial start-ups, where ‘the IPO’ was the golden egg and the overarching company goal, and working or volunteering for several non-profits as well, gave me the knowledge and insights necessary to start AdvanceAbilities without a hitch. Oh well, once again I am off on another of my ‘learning experiences’, pain and all. That’s how it has to be and in my estimation, should be as well.
Like so many people with an itch to start something of their own and avoid all of the mistakes I have seen in other start-ups, which from the outside are so darn easy to spot, I dove in head first — sadly, it was the shallow end of the pool. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the other important ingredient — my amazing, innovative, never before thought of idea — I have that one too. Talk about a set-up to get spanked, I should have just taken off my belt, and draped it over the back of the chair I was using to balance, bent into the ‘spank-me’ pose. Arrogance is a huge problem. But I know that — I hate it in others, and am always attracted to those ‘humble geniuses’ out there, right? Well, kind of. I have learned that since I am relatively new to the ‘mobility challenged’ set, if I have a brainstorm, at least several others out there have it or a form of it too.
Collaboration is a good thing, especially when eliminating barriers is one’s raison d’etre. There are some truly great people out there that REALLY mean it when they say, ‘If I/we can help you in any way, let me know.’ Unfortunately, more often than not so far, when a person says that, they have a notion that I may have something that can benefit them. I have no problem with that — not at all, that is what partnership is all about. The honest give and take, sharing ideas openly for the greater good. There are several potential problems here that can be avoided with the right questions.
When an individual really hooks into one’s spirit and idea enthusiastically, they, like I on occasion, tend to overcommit. They want to do what is there specialty for you, but they have neither the time nor the authority to do so. The first few times, I was really taken in by a few groups of colleagues who pledged to solve several issues for me, gratis — in their spare time at the office. I should have asked if they ‘really’ could do that. I can learn and deal with that stuff.
The bigger and more nefarious issue is the companies that want to be seen as supporting one’s cause or mission, and will make promises that they have no intention of keeping. Despite reality checks along the way, where they say things like ‘just send me a list of what we can do for you’, that list simply never seems to get where it’s sent. Or worse, they assign someone to help you and nothing ever gets done. When it comes to personnel or monetary commitment, forget it. They will even go so far as to publicizing their support, without lifting a finger. I understand that when someone like myself speaks to an audience about my passion to help disabled seniors, both the audience and I get caught up in the moment. Noble causes attract people’s hearts, and both sides do stupid things on occasion. My problem was that I needed so much and still need a lot, that I tended to see intent that simply wasn’t there. For me, as soon as the inner voice of my intuition begins thinking something is not right, it isn’t. My problem has been not listening to my insides and wishing what isn’t — is. Progress not perfection.
The way I look at this whole process is that besides attaining my life’s dream and mission to help those who truly need help, it should be a learning experience for anyone interested in starting something or merely interested in non-profit start-up theory. I respect entrepreneurs so much more now than ever before, and since I am not one who writes books in my spare time, then I can at least share a live version of how to and how not to do whatever it is that I am doing. I’ll leave the books to the theoreticians.The follower can take what they like and leave the rest. I will not make this a ‘poor Jim, the story of a victim’ tome, as that perspective is not what I am about at all. I am still the luckiest man one earth to have survived long enough to both realize my purpose on this earth, and have a stab at accomplishing it.
