Can I write a blog based on the alleged entrepreneurial wisdom of Mike Tyson? Sure I can!
The title comes from a quote attributed to the former heavyweight champion of the world, “Everybody has a plan, until they get punched in the face.” The origin of the quote was actually from another former champion, Joe Louis, who said:
Every fighter’s got a plan until they get hit
That’s what differentiates “entrepreneurs” from “managers”. Managers manage. They plan. They build structure. They strive for comfort. Many “can’t take a punch”. They use language like, “those are the rules”, “that’s how we do things here”. I believe that’s why many large companies have difficulty maneuvering. It takes a different mindset.
Entrepreneurs KNOW they’re going to get punched in the face. So what? It’s just a punch in the face. No big deal.
…. but what if you get knocked down? You get back up.
…. but what if you get knocked out? You start again.
Does that mean entrepreneurs are fearless? I don’t think so, I think it’s that their drive, their belief, is bigger than their fear.
The first entrepreneur I ever met was my late uncle, Bill Ricci. He never went to college (that was reserved for the oldest son in this 1st generation Italian-American family, Bill was #2). Bill was a self-taught engineer, an idea guy with seemingly unlimited energy. My mother tells the story of when he had mortgaged everything he owned and things he didn’t own (my grandmother’s house), to get through the tough times. In all the years I knew him, I never saw any sign of worry, concern. He was emotional, yes. Boisterous. Full of life. Angered easily, laughed easily, but I never saw any sense of uncertainty. You were never in doubt on where Bill Ricci stood on a topic.
Cambridge Tool & Mfg, now part of Pace Industries, was started by Uncle Bill in 1945. It was an incredibly successful company, mostly because Uncle Bill knew it would be.
That’s what it’s all about.
– RTR
Real Time Rick 