"How to run risk for glory. "

Happy Monday entrepreneurs. Another week, another day another dollar. Some in Africa call it blue Monday. Others call it blue sky Monday- because that is all they can see at the start of a week.

It can be lonely and disheartening being an entrepreneur in Africa where the heroes go unsung – even though we’re trying to redress this with our Risk and Glory columns !

I have spent nearly 20 years observing entrepreneurs, at close quarters –  from millionaires to dust digging farmers. It is fascinating to chronicle the highs and lows of the thinkers and creators who make up the ranks of the entrepreneur – those wealth and job creators.

I was a soldier too in the entrepreneur wars, when I co-founded a production company in the mid 2000s. We bootstrapped the business with almost zero capital; we worked hard made a decent living. It was fun in the early days.

The only problem was the market was saturated after five years of hard toil we took away barely enough to buy a second-hand Toyota.

Now, I hear you all say: “Why did you quit?” Answer is, it a decision from deep in my soul.

I ended up hating the business. Every morning in the shower, I would close my eyes tight and tilt my head to the heavens thinking: “No, what have I GOT TO DO today. ”

More importantly  I missed my first and only true love. We may have fought and wounded each other down the years  – but, I couldn’t live without writing. My joy, my talent.

Through all of this, I gathered, first hand, some of the secrets that made entrepreneurs that maybe could become your Monday mantra to help sustain you through the trials.

You come up with an idea to make money ;your friends and family laugh at you.

Tell them to get lost for now. You may need them later, but look forward to the day you can laugh back and carry-on full force.

The banks tell you they won’t lend to you because you don’t have enough collateral.

Bootstrap or look to crowdfunding; the banks will come back throwing money at you when you don’t need it anymore. Then, you can laugh.

An employee you nurtured steals from you.

Call the police.

A consultant comes up with a wizard plan for expansion of your business.

Don’t overstretch your business beyond your capital, it is a common folly that has seen the death of many a business.

But do get a revenue collection wizard  – it is an underrated skill that can carry or bury a business.

When hiring remember these words.

Hungry, honest and hard working.

Remember it is your  business and fight hard, take advice, but brook no instructions from the outside from people who carry not the same load as you.

Remember it is your risk, that will one day be your glory.