Jackie Summers is starting a business from scratch. Here’s how he views the very large, daunting, and quite possibly impossible task ahead.
Starting a business in a capitalist society with no capital is essentially impossible.
And yet, everything you see, everything you touch, everything around us was made, by someone. At some point, everything was an idea.
Exactly how does one go from the bright idea to product launch? How do you refine your vision? How do you assemble a team? How do you gather the experience and financing necessary to turn your dream into a reality?
While it’s true that anyone with a great idea and indefatigable enthusiasm can succeed, statistically speaking, few do. And if you do manage to get your project off the ground, staying aloft is another challenge entirely. Short of being a great parent, being a successful entrepreneur might be the most challenging endeavor anyone could choose to undertake.
So why would we do this? Why would anyone attempt something so egregiously prohibitive? How does one accomplish the impossible?
That’s the question we’re going to explore here. After having spent time on Wall Street, with the Mad Men of Madison Avenue, and in the hallowed halls of consumer magazine publishing, in the fall of 2010 I abandoned 25 years of corporate life to pursue entrepreneurship. This column will explore the hows and whys. I’m going to document our process: how, with my business partners, we make shit happen.
As we are currently in the thick of a product launch, this is not theory; it’s live and happening moment-to-moment. We’re going to document our achievements and our setbacks, and take you along for the ride. We will show you how we approach the insurmountable, and figure out how to surmount the living hell out of it.
I hope you enjoy the show.
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photo: jfb