A Test of Mettle

As stated in my bio, I am currently residing in Charlotte, NC. I am in the process of developing and launching a full service cleaning company. Additionally, I serve as a business consultant for a sports wear store. Even though I miss my teaching career - colleagues, students and parents - I most enjoy the challenges of launching and running a business. As a matter of fact, I firmly believe a healthy business community sets the foundation for a healthy community. In other words, business development is an extension of the civil or human rights movement. We have to position ourselves to provide the goods and services that support the healthy development of our community. Complaining about so called "foreigners" running businesses in our community falls far from the mark.

In discussing the importance of business, I must emphatically add, becoming an entrepreneur takes a certain type of unique mettle. To borrow the dictionary's definition: Mettle is an inherent quality of character and temperament... a courage, fortitude and spirit in order be prepared to accept a challenge and do one's best.

To be candid, if you lack the necessary mettle to weather the storms of the business culture you should gravitate towards another safety net type career. I have experienced, learned and witnessed over my adult life how people without the prerequisite mettle crumble under the pressure of running a business. It ain't easy to run a business or as one of my mentors instructed me, that's the cost to be the boss.

To better illustrate this point; some people get knocked down and they moan, complain and lose faith. Other people get knocked down and dust themselves off and look for the next opportunity. A successful businessperson is resilient enough to adapt to the climate. He or she does not waste time stewing over mistakes, miscues or perceived slights. No, she has to maintain focus and make the proverbial lemonade from lemons. No, he has to be flexible enough to shift gears or make the required sharp turn.

Remember business is a marathon not a sprint; as a wisemen stated: "... the race is not to the swift ... it is to he who can endure to the end."

In summary, when self-doubt has me question my own mettle, I begin to channel Fredrick, Harriot, Malcolm, Martin and yes Oprah. I had a principal that frequently used the quote: when you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot. Peace.