The Hulk Hogan Rule of Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship can be a challenging and isolating journey filled with self-doubt.

Entrepreneurship is challenging because it’s you and you alone (or your partners too if you start it together) who is up against all odds. There are millions of successful businesses in this world already, so why would the world need this one extra business in its fold? There are finances, business models, networks, suppliers, buyers, all vying for your time, your energy, and your money. At times you would want to run fast, faster than the last man who made the 100 meter record, so that you can outrun these challenges. You would wish you could have a firewall in your head so that only you could decide when to turn off these thoughts and these issues.

Entrepreneurship is isolating because, while you may not notice it yourself, others may suddenly start seeing you as someone who is constantly fidgeting with numbers or ideas on the computer, ipad, or a simple notepad. Ultimately, you could be bringing every conversation back to your business. Or, without knowing it, you could be staring for ages into a wall, or a ceiling, or right into the inner soul of someone who is talking to you while your mind is far away into that formula in the cell AX110 of that spreadsheet you finished off at 2.58 am in the morning before dozed off on the sofa. There is a world out there, and then there is entrepreneurship. And you made a choice on entrepreneurship when you said, “I do!” And the priest said, “With the power bestowed in me by blah blah, I now pronounce you Entrepreneur and Enterprise, you may now kiss your business idea!”

And, not the least, entrepreneurship is an expedition filled with doubts: doubts about your own self and your ideas. Whether you are thinking of opening your first retail store, launching a new mobile platform, or doing something in e-commerce, you will always be doubting yourself. Because, unlike in a job situation where you can get feedback from your boss, peers, and outside network for something you are doing for an organization, your feedback network is much more limited when you are on a solo trip with your life’s earnings and passion at stake.

So, what is it that really matters for a successful startup? Is it the business idea? Is it the speed at which you execute things? Is it your pitch to the investors? Is it your passion? Perhaps none of these. Because, all of these depend on one thing. And that is: are you willing to open up?

A few years ago I worked with Nestle on a few aspects of their communication for Nescafe: “Open Up!” It was a great learning experience. So how is that relevant in this case? Well, all of us (humans) have a tendency to close, to shut off the world, to get busy in our little cocoons when things outside are kind of tough – which they are for entrepreneurs. However, it’s exactly the opposite of “shutting off the world” that can help us grow!

As entrepreneurs we need to reach out, we need to discuss, we need to build new relationships, we need to create bridges, we need to actively seek feedback, and we need to pitch our ideas to people so that while pitching them our brain can get smarter and fix the small holes we have in our ideas.

Entrepreneurship is essentially a pursuit in mingling with others. So flex your communication muscles. And you cannot flex them with self-talk alone. You need to get out there in the world with others who are on a similar journey.

No one would have ever known about Hulk Hogan if he had never flexed his muscles in the gym or in the ring!

So go out there in the crowd, develop some charisma  with the way you walk and talk (may be your own patent brand of music!). For all I care, please do wear a yellow shirt, and then when the crowd is ready to cheer at their peak tear off that shirt!

And then, there is one more thing!

No matter how much beating you get (you can get a lot of beating in entrepreneurship venture of yours, trust me!), you know you can always get back up. All you will need is to get your hand up while world is pushing you down, and "your" crowd and "your" network will start cheering for you. And then, of course, it is you who will win in the end.

Just like Hulk Hogan does!

Naimul Abd is an entrepreneur, an international marketer, a strategy consultant, a futurist, and a musician. You can follow him on twitter @naimulabds on his official page www.facebook.com/naimulabdofficial and on his blog www.naimulabd.com