Want to create a business that stands apart from the me-too competition? Or do you want to create something that’s so fun, so good and so profitable that you can’t help but crush it?
I’m guessing it’s the latter.
In the last post, I mentioned Jim Collins’ books Good to Great and Built to Last and the Big Audacious Goal concept. Here I’ll share his Hedgehog Concept. Why? Because it’s good, and because there’s no need to reinvent the wheel and come up with my own fancy name for it. I recommend both of those books, and the whole point of The Build Cycle is that these resources, steps and tactics are already out there…I’m just here to guide you through the startup and growth process as efficiently as possible. I had to learn too many of them the hard way over many years, no need for you to do the same. Consider this your crash course in doing it right. So, Hedgehogs…
WHY ACT LIKE A HEDGEHOG?
Because like a honey badger, the hedgehog doesn’t give a f*%k. It just goes about its business being the best hedgehog it can. It doesn’t try to be a beaver, a lion or an elephant. Those animals are already very good at being themselves, and the hedgehog is damn good at being a hedgehog. And it’s thrilled to death to be the best damn hedgehog it can be.
3 WAYS TO BE LIKE A HEDGEHOG
Ask yourself these three questions:
- What are you damn good at?
- What are you thrilled to be doing?
- Of those things, which could be most profitable?
Line ’em up on a Venn diagram and see what intersects. The intersection is where you’ll find your hedgehog…aka, the thing that you’ll have the most fun being the best at while making the most money.
PRO TIP: It’s just as important to list the things you’re not good at or don’t care about and eliminate them from your growth strategy. Focus on the things you can be best at, get rid of distractions and unnecessary challenges.