Barriers to Entry

As a parent I am constantly thinking about the lessons I provide to a child. These lessons are spoken and delivered through action and example. I craft these messages based on observation and experience.

I realize that being successful is not very difficult. That suggestion seems almost absurd but if you think about it, in many ways it is true. Our society is one that must provide for its citizens so that economic productivity can be maintained. It does operate in a pyramid that is mostly fair. I believe we are forgetting to train our kids about the barriers to entry. The direction of society is questioning why those barriers exist. The barriers are there for a reason.

Long ago, our capitalistic world allowed a motivated individual of modest means to become great. There was hard work involved and lots of hustle. Sure, there were always unfair factors, but if we cast those aside for observation sake, if you work hard, you could earn wealth.

The access to information has made the pyramid fat at the peak. People are much smarter now and can make moves so fast that they can defeat the system. To prevent this the inequity that existed at the very top levels of society has trickled down into the lower rungs of society to maintain the pyramid structure. Maybe that is where all of our problems reside. Maybe we do not need to destroy the pyramid, we simply need to build a new one.

We should be comfortable with the barriers to entry. Things are supposed to be challenging and the more difficult the challenge, the greater the potential productivity.

The access to debt is another issue that is leading to the “fat pyramid.” Anyone can get credit and get an education. A crazy question: has our world become too smart?

We are tougher to lead and too much information is grinding us to a standstill. Even worse is that we are not being divided into two factions, we are being divided into multiple factions each with different objectives and standards. I digress yet again!!!

Barriers to entry have an intrinsic value. As I progress through the business world it is difficult to suggest that I acknowledge and accept that things are challenging. I also understand that the barriers must exist and they must be broken. That is the reward. The financial blessings that come with entering the market is truly magnificent, however, without the accomplishment the money is just a temporary token of exchange.

We must remember that the economy is here to sustain not just allow the doors to be open to anyone and everyone. The economy is a system that strives to endure and those within it must have the durability to sustain the various connective elements.

Like a high performance engine, the economy requires high quality parts that can withstand the high operating temperatures.

I see the pyramid as an economic structure which houses those already contained within it. The pyramid is composed of a series of receding levels which represent levels of wealth. I see the entrepreneurship journey as the climb up those various levels. As you continue the climb, each rejection means that you must climb an additional layer until you reach the place where you fit, or the level where someone believes and understands what you are trying to accomplish. If you have big ideas that are legitimate in their potential, the lower levels will not be an appropriate fit. You must continue to climb the higher levels.

That fit is based on who you are, your knowledge and grit, and most important the challenge you carry with you. This fit explains why some seem to have it so easy. It is because the challenge they have may not be so cumbersome. They are educated, practical, determined, and acceptable to be capitalized.

Then there are the others, the misfits that continue to climb even though they know they are deeply burdened. They continue to move forward and continue to find that economic fit. These are the risk takers and these entrepreneurial characters require an equal risk taker to believe and invest in them. These strong personalities require the strongest capital providers with the largest purses. These sponsors have the ability to take those types of chances and are eager for the challenge and revel at the opportunity to watch something blossom. They literally have the green thumb of business. These sponsors understand what big ideas are and what it takes to execute them.

When you are one of those characters you understand the challenges and every economy needs these intelligent and crafty risk takers.

I was recently able to have a brief taste of this. It was a moment when I could see a few people starting to believe in what I am doing and understand it’s legitimacy. It was sort of an emotional thing, not the tears type but the excitement type. It’s like the feeling you get when you have a new project. I understood right off the bat that these are guys are amongst that upper crust. They ask different questions and have a different focus. What is crazy to the many is just a large project which requires more parts and pieces. Can the entrepreneur assemble the parts and pieces?

This brings us right back to the beginning of this prose: being successful is easy. The question is easy: can you assemble the parts? Do you know what it takes? Do you know where to find the answers?

These questions are very simple. There is no resume attached or your ability to network. Can you perform or not? If you can, all your education and experience will automatically fall into place. Being successful is easy, especially if you just enjoy work. If you are interested in consistent learning then you can make it. If you have a sound mind and understand how to manage; yourself, time, money, difficult people and challenges - you can be successful.

It doesn’t take a certain style or disposition, it takes you being you. Being successful is like a singer who clearly understands his/her vocal range and works that to death. That is success. It’s easy and you can start anytime. Look in the mirror and view yourself honestly. See your good and bad. If you still move forward then the day is yours: success.