November Topic: Who do you REALLY work for? Do research and discover who really owns your company or favorite products.
By Jamie Allen Bishop with Jamie Allen Bishop Coaching
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Company owner: Jamie Allen Bishop
Favorite product owner: Eric Yuan
Research fiend here!
Do you like or dislike research? Why? What brought you to that conclusion?
The interesting thing about research is that when we investigate, we are likely to “prove” (or spin) our viewpoint/subject matter in whatever direction we choose. Research is malleable that way.
For me, research often leads to finding a different truth than originally intended. Since most people don’t enjoy being wrong, most people don’t enjoy research. In fact, I suspect this overlooked complication of doing research is why many of our group’s business owners will resist answering this call to action – writing for this BLOG prompt.
I know I did – struggled with submitting my written account of what I found to be true.
But I can’t preach what I am not willing to do. To be an authentic leader, I must lead by example. As such, I am setting aside all concerns about what others may think about this answer to showcase a brave answer to this wise question.
Who do I really work for… meaning who owns my companies?
No one. Not even me.
Here’s why.
I think of ownership as a means through which something endures. As such, I must ask myself what would exist of my company if I were no longer running it.
That answer is nothing. Nothing would exist. It would fizzle away into oblivion.
While I take pride in the fact that none of my companies are indebted to any bank or credit company, none of my businesses would exist without me.
That is a HUGE problem.
Have you heard of Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad? In his book, he posed a cash-flow quadrant system to outline why some people are poor and some are, indeed, rich. This financial freedom chart includes the following: employee (time = money), self-employed (time = money), business owner (employees = money), and investor (money = money). The only way to become truly and independently wealthy is through being an investor… removing people and time from the equation.
I have a plan in place to delve deeper into business ownership, and with this question at the forefront of my mind, I realize I need a better plan to gain faster traction on transitioning from business owner to investor.
This awareness is a bit of a slap in the face and a solid motivator.
Kudos to you, Julie Rose, for being our resident legal mastermind.
As for who the heck is Eric Yuan? Mr Yuan owns ZOOM. Without the launch of his web-based video conferencing software started in 2011, none of my businesses would exist. I may owe him much more than my annual licensing fee.
Perhaps I’ll send Kiyosaki and Yuan unsolicited checks when I reach full investor status. How fun will that be? 😊