I've been providing a little bit of encouragement and coaching to a CPA who's just starting a journey I began decades ago. And though he appreciates the mentoring, he also worries about the risks of starting and running his own professional services firm. What follows is the last line of his last email to me (in boldfaced type) ... and then my response (in italics). I thought this might be useful perspective for MMMers just starting or considering starting a business...
BTW, my name really is "Steve" but i've changed his name to Winston to protect his identity...
>Steve, other than passage of time and keeping my eyes open, do you have any other tips?
Yes, keep in mind the story of the bear and the two hikers…
Two guys, Steve and Winston, are walking through the woods. They see a bear. Winston drops his pack, pulls out some tennis shoes, yanks off his hiking books and then begins lacing up his tennis shoes.
Steve just laughs and laughs… then says to Winston, “Winston? Are you crazy? You can’t outrun a 1400-pound Kodiak bear? They sprint at speeds up to 30mph…”
Winston smiles, awkwardly, and then replies, “I don’t need to outrun the bear, Steve … I just need to outrun you.”
