The View From Here: Catherine Fennell

Ten work-in-progress observations from a start-up entrepreneur.

By: Catharine Fennell

So, I’m in the weeds. It’s messy in here. If I look up I can see the blue sky and the sunlight. But most of the time it is a little cluttered and there isn’t always a clear path out.

As the woman behind videoBIO, one of the coolest start-ups Canada has seen since Research in Motion yes, you have to sing your praises and believe it!), I can tell you that this entrepreneurial thing is not for the faint of heart. But, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

As a woman quickly approaching forty, I have had the pleasure of wearing many hats in my career, both in the corporate world and now as an entrepreneur, into my third venture.

Despite what you might hear about entrepreneurial life, it isn’t all glamorous. There’s the raising of capital, the growing pains, the juggling of operations, sales, human resources, cash flow management, flying to different cities weekly, the 24/7 brain drain and then, at the end of the day, dusting yourself off for a few hours to be mom, wife and cook dinner. Who’s kidding who? Maybe not the cooking part.

So I wanted to share some of my observations that have formed my personal modus operandi as a Gen X entrepreneur:

1. I am often told to enjoy every stress-filled minute as it is a journey. But I am here to tell you, it’s a race! That   doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it. It just means that the moments are fleeting, like a rollercoaster ride with three ups and two downs, before noon. You have to be ready for the ride and you can’t saunter.

2. What motivates people to do anything versus nothing? I have come to love and appreciate early adopters who celebrate what is new, who are open to trial and who support and celebrate new ideas. It is a terrific community to be part of.

3. There is a big gap between mediocre and great. Take the time to find the people who share your relentless pursuit of excellence. And don’t settle. It is the people who you surround yourself with that will help you to carry out your vision.

4. The plight of the trailblazer is that it is a lonely road when you are carving the path. This means that there aren’t a lot of people who will be able to relate to where you are or what you are feeling. You aren’t going to have the comfort of seeing people at your side, validating your every step along the way. They’ll be lagging far behind in the rearview mirror. You need to have the vision, be decisive and stay the course.

5. I have always felt that, as an outlier, observations that come from the periphery are always more useful than from the centre. You see more.

6. Ideas are worth protecting but execution is everything. If any one can do it, why don’t they? Because it is hard work! It involves taking big risks with no guarantee of reward. It takes dogmatic perseverance, drive and a little bit of crazy to get big ideas off the ground and make them stick.

7. There will be many “throw in the towel” moments and that is when you have to go back to your vision. Can you see it? Can you smell it? Can you taste it? You have to believe in yourself most in these moments so you can pick yourself up and then head to your investor meeting to get someone else excited about you and your big idea.

8. Keep your eyes wide open so you don’t miss an opportunity. Be open to everything. And follow everything up. You need to always have your ear to the ground and your eyes on the horizon (and in the back of your head)!

9. Don’t think you can go it alone. You will feel alone a lot of the time but you need support. My experience has been that support can come from the strangest places – and rarely when you want or expect it. Embrace it when it comes.

10. Drink your own Kool-Aid and spread it around. Passion is infectious and everyone is thirsty for something new and great. Tell people what you are doing and ask them to get involved. Community is everything. Especially women!

If you are also a mother like me, those long hours had better be worth it. I encourage every woman to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. Just proceed with caution and refer to number seven.

Catharine Fennell is President and CEO, videoBIO.com and Managing Partner, SWING Think Inc. Catharine has been volunteering with the United Way for ten years, sitting on the Allocations Committee. She has been an active participant in furthering women’s leadership and building communities of women both through her companies and association involvement, including Women of Influence.