Kevin: Dude, do you know someone that would be willing to invest in my company?
Joe: Yeah, I may know someone. But… if I get someone to invest, I’ll need a 10% cut.
Kevin: You couldn’t just do it because you’re my friend?
Joe: Nah dude, if I’m going to spend my personal time trying to help your startup… I’m going to need something in return.
Kevin: Wow, you’re something else dude.
The above scenario is a typical conversation that many entrepreneurs encounter while running a startup. Though the situations may change, we, entrepreneurs, find ourselves reaching out to others to help us along the way.
It’s normal for us to ask for help. We surely can’t change the world on our own. In fact, it takes a real entrepreneur to be able to ask for help. So many entrepreneurs think that they are above asking for help and soon find out — the hard way — that asking for help is absolutely necessary and critical to success.
But what’s with the “I’ll-help-you-only-for-something-in-return” attitude that so many — so-called — entrepreneurs have nowadays? Believe me, I’m all about reciprocity and absolutely love when someone returns a favor and helps me out after I help them.
BUT… that’s not the reason I help people. We shouldn’t help people just so we can ask them for something 5 minutes later. Help people because you “want” to help people. Not because you want something for yourself.
Entrepreneurship isn’t about twisting arms and taking advantage of people who need your help. Entrepreneurship is about wanting to see people succeed just as much as you want to see yourself succeed.
You’d be better off telling someone “no” instead of just helping them to exploit them a few minutes later with a request of your own. I’m not saying that it’s bad to ask for a favor after you help someone, that’s ok.
I’m saying that it shouldn’t be your only motive for helping someone. If it is, then your position as an entrepreneur becomes suspect and don’t expect to get far in life. Nope.
Great post!
In the last chapter of The Art of the Start Guy Kawasaki talks about just this point. He encourages the reader to be a mensch (re: someone who does something for another without without expectation of reward in turn).
Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay/ Omidyar Network) is quoted on the cover saying “…and please, read the last chapter first!”
It’s always more enjoyable to work with and around those individuals who do things without expectation. And isn’t it interesting that they tend to be the ones who do better in the long run?
Cheers David
This happens because of lack of love among people and money madness.
One of the keys to have a peaceful & successful life is ‘Living in the moment’. I cant explain it in depth here. Will just say – Do whatever we can at our best right now without any expectations. Whether it is helping othes or making our own product/service. Dont bother how it is going to benefit us, how many clients/money we will get,…. Just do our best.
A plant gives nectar to bees, gets pollinated itself. The beauty of universe is – what you give, you will get (magnified). Give help, get help. Give love, get love. Give greed, get greed.
love
Thanks for the comments, guys. Yeah, money is a huge reason why people neglect to helping others. Ahh… so true “what you give, you will get (magnified).”
Yeh, modern society coupled w/ materialism has resulted in the what’s in it for me attitude.
Adam Smith “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.”
As a budding entrepreneur myself, money is important, but I value people’s time as priceless.
Well said, Thomas. Well said.