The Million-Dollar Attitude

What does your business have in common with Microsoft? More than you think. They both started with an idea, a dream and a little luck. In 1974, Bill Gates saw a Popular Electronics magazine cover featuring a microcomputer kit that was about to turn the home computer market into a blaze of millions of buyers. He recognized this as a golden opportunity to develop software for all those computers. He quit Harvard and began Microsoft from humble beginnings, often answering the company phone and personally shipping out product orders. Seizing an opportunity takes guts before you can enjoy the glory. So what else does it really take to create a million-dollar-plus business?

Have a vision. Million-dollar businesses have been started by experienced and inexperienced people from all ethnicities, educational and financial backgrounds. The common thread among successful entrepreneurs is their vision. It's also critical to find individual motivation. Prior to establishing a million-dollar-plus corporation, I was trained as an attorney and miserable in my job at a large Denver firm. My motivation was to never return to the firm. My success was a combination of timing, luck, dedication and a passion for doing work that I love, not just a job that would pay the bills.

Focus on your idea, not your obstacles. Million-dollar ideas have fallen by the wayside when inventors and entrepreneurs didn't think they had what it took to get their concept off the ground. A basic idea can be developed in simple surroundings without a great deal of fanfare or fuss. However, it's easy to focus too much on the problems that'll inevitably arise, like how do I afford a staff, office, inventory and everything else related to the development of this idea?

When I began my company, I started in my basement with 40 square feet to store inventory, office supplies, a business phone and a modest client list. Things looked dismal, but I felt positive. Within months, I was working out of a civilized office space and within a year owned my first building. Looking at the big picture may undermine your first steps to success. Develop a foundation and build it one block at a time.

Put people first and have a killer offer. Customers have been ignored for years and expect very little from retailers and service providers. Great customer service will make you stand out. Having a great product doesn't hurt, either. And giving your clients diverse options is also a plus. Having more than one item to sell or service to promote offers a supplemental stream of income. Give yourself options if one idea doesn't succeed. Many people believe you should do only one thing and do it right, but offering a variety of services and products to your clients is an excellent way to finance and grow your company.

Always believe in yourself. When I contemplated starting my company in 1992, I told everyone I knew about my grandiose idea. Those individuals then related every catastrophic entrepreneurial failure they could ever remember hearing. Therefore, they assured me, I would also fail.

I wondered about people who were actually successful in their endeavors. Why couldn't I be a "good" statistic? That was my "aha" moment. I decided I could and would be the best in my field. I started small, worked hard, developed a list of local clients, marketed nationally and now franchise my business domestically and throughout the world. On a recent trip to Australia to set up three new operations, I had a long flight to reflect on my success. I simply started with an idea and a clear vision that has now provided security for the rest of my life.

There are many ways to achieve your goals as an entrepreneur, and you'll likely try a variety of avenues before discovering your true potential for success. Learn every aspect of your business. Know your clients and understand their needs. Be accessible. And don't be afraid to capitalize on an idea as Bill Gates did. You'll have to take risks along the way, but the payoff is unlimited.