Being an Entrepreneur Means Asking the Right Questions
Here’s a novel way to keep the questions coming
“Well, why the hell do they do that?”
That question, more often than not, is the singular spark that produces more successful entrepreneurs than any other. It’s the result of looking at the status quo, seeing a better solution, and then putting in the time and effort to make that solution viable.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that the best entrepreneurs not only keep asking questions, but they keep finding ways to ask new questions. The answers they get allow them to visualize new solutions to old problems, whether that solution is a new, disruptive product or a new way to elevate their company.
As more people ask me how my Teaching Startup project gets the results it gets — delivering most of the value of an on-demand startup advisor at a fraction of the cost and the hassle — I’ve started pointing to the novel ways we’ve been able to answer all kinds of entrepreneur questions.
Even before they ask.
Almost every advisor of startups and entrepreneurs that I’ve talked to has told me that their number one problem is one of engagement. From universities to incubators to startup launch programs, their main issue is that the people who need the answers aren’t asking the questions.
That blew my mind. Entrepreneurs, like me, are curious by nature. And as an advisor myself, I have rarely been able to point to that as a problem. So I started digging into it and discovered it’s more nuanced than that.
Here’s what I found:
Some entrepreneurs don’t even know to ask the question
We might believe there’s a standard blueprint out there we should find and follow, which isn’t the case. Each startup’s path to success is as individual as the startup itself. If it weren’t, we’d all be running franchises.
Some entrepreneurs don’t know who to ask
Let’s face it, we’d all like our network to be bigger and better and smarter than it is today. Not just in terms of that one person who has all the right answers, but peers who are thinking about things we’re not.
Some entrepreneurs don’t know how to ask
Sometimes we can’t even put into words what it is we need, let alone get those words into question format. There are a million ways to ask “How do I get better results?” Which version do you pick?
Some entrepreneurs can’t afford to ask
There are two ways to look at this.
One: Most of the time, the people who have the right answers are busy putting those answers into action and their time is very valuable. That time costs money we don’t have yet.
Two: Entrepreneurs don’t want to give away secrets. Some don’t want to give away the fact that they’re running a side hustle. A lot of organizations that help startups don’t get that, they’re more about clicks and attention.
Some entrepreneurs are afraid to ask
No one wants to ask first. But that goes back to my main point, and why an entrepreneur’s network is so important. When you’re immersed in an environment where there are no dumb questions, you tend to start thinking differently.
So there are a lot of different reasons why entrepreneurs don’t ask questions. But you can’t just solve one of those problems, you have to solve them all. It’s like baking a cake. All the ingredients have to come together properly to get the right result. If you just use the eggs, you just have eggs.
Rather than tell you how Teaching Startup solves all this, I’d like to show you. You can get a 30-day free trial and immerse yourself in questions and answers, maybe ask one of your own. Use invite code IMMERSE and you’ll get 30 days free and then your first paid month for $5.
If you don’t want to join Teaching Startup, but you found what I had to say here insightful, please consider signing up for my personal newsletter at joeprocopio.com so you don’t miss any new posts. It’s free, short, and to the point.
