“If I could only land this one huge client, I’d make it big!”
I hear it all the time, “forget the minnows… fish for that whale!”
And it did make sense in an industrialized-aged era. In the previous century, the marketing & sales efforts to attract one hundred clients paying $1,000 was usually significantly more than it was to hook one client paying $100,000.
But in the age of the internet – where information flows swiftly, and technology has helped smart businesses create virtual pipelines for promoting & delivering goods and services – this is no longer the case.
We now have the ability to use social media, websites, email, video and a host of other technologies to further our product’s reach and effectiveness.
As entrepreneurs living in the 21st century we have wonderful opportunities available to us. And over time, we will present specific scenarios and case studies in which you can apply technology into your business.
But technology is not the premise of this article… It’s about being happy.
Finding happiness:
Who am I serving? Why did I create this business? How can I improve the lives of as many people as possible? And most importantly: Am I happy?
The questions every entrepreneur should ask themselves.
And after deep introspection, you should begin to see that it’s not the Microsofts, Fords or the governments of the world who you’d like as a customer. It’s the little guys, the mom and pops of society.
Because as the size of the client grows, so does the demands. The more you become trapped in the bureaucracy associated with their specificity. And unfortunately, the more your individuality dies.
No happy entrepreneur wakes up worrying about what their major client is going to demand next. Instead, a happy entrepreneur wakes up wondering how they can improve the lives of others.
Caution: It’s not always peachy, but usually
As you continually improve your offerings to appeal to your customer base some may not enjoy the tweaks, but most will.
With many users, one client parting ways will not break the bank. Respect their choice to leave as you’ll still have thousands of others who love your product.
Without that whale dictating your every move, you won’t be forced to create something the CEO thinks is best, but what you think is best for your users. Which means you can create something that makes you happy.
And this is why we become entrepreneurs in the first place: to be happy.
About the Author: Bradley Gauthier is co-founder of New Methods. And is passionate about helping big thinking entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. He has been a serial entrepreneur since the age of 12 when he created an online marketing firm. Connect with him on Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn & Facebook.
