A little voice in my head is telling me ‘abandon, abandon’. Do I listen?

Hi Aunty,

I am in the middle of launching a new product and I think I have bitten off more than I can chew.

I am having trouble getting the staff I need, as the people I am approaching all prefer the security of a large company. I also underestimated the costs of getting the thing into the marketplace. I am still confident my plan will work but the payback looks awhile off and I have impatient shareholders!

I tell myself I have a good track record of making things work. But this is a really ambitious project and a bigger risk of anything I have done so far! It is also distracting me and others from my main business! A little voice in my head is telling me to abandon it. Do I listen?

Rick,
SA

Dear Rick,

No one but the mentally ill tend to take much notice of the voices in their head. So ignore it.

Look, you just have last minute nerves like you always do before anything is launched. Remember? You feel sick, you can’t sleep and once again you wonder what the hell you are doing? Yeah, that’s right. Now remember the feeling as you do get the right people in place, you are at the launch date and the marketplace is talking? It feels good doesn’t it? Yes your existing business lost a little focus. But it was strong enough to withstand a little neglect from you and remember you are not as essential as you think.

Now let’s focus on a year down the track. Of course things are awfully hard. It took longer than your worst-case projections and cost twice as much, but you were right! The product is fantastic. Your plan was correct. The strategy perfect. The people are great, enjoying their jobs and you are giving the marketplace another good old shake up.

Make sure you remind those folks in large companies that it is young, nimble companies that offer the most promise: for career, promotion and reward. And if they can’t see that, they are not right for you!

Be smart,
Your Aunty B

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