Never underestimate the power of availability

If you spend enough time in startup world you will eventually, whether a result of your actions or someone else’s, find yourself out of work. It happens and can happen with some frequency. Fail to raise funding, get on the wrong side of a venomous company culture, or even get acquired…then let go.

This existence is odd to those who work for larger companies or operate outside startup circles. After 6 six startups in 20 years, it just doesn’t seem odd to me anymore. My Mom once asked me if my most recent job was going to be it for a while, I said that you need to think of my career as a series of projects. Some last months, some last years. She paused and then asked if my wife knew this. Fortunately, I met my wife at one of those startups.

Usually the best, most competent people are busy. Busy working on their next venture, busy working inside a great company doing great things. But, every once in a while, something happens and that person is available. Maybe they needed a break after achieving and grinding for so many years. Maybe, and we haven’t seen this for a while, a downturn in the economy causes layoffs and a whole mass of very competent and smart people are suddenly available.

That’s when really awesome things can happen because great people stand out from mediocre ones and are really good at creating their next opportunity. Companies and people who are use to dealing with the mediocre instantly see the difference and know they have something special.

So, the next time you get laid off or feel like you are stuck in a situation or job that is intolerable, ask yourself two questions:

1.    Are you one of the great ones or are you satisfied with being mediocre?

2.    What great opportunities await if you signal your availability?

I consider risk a constant in your professional life. Again, there are things you can control and things you cannot. Startups have an elevated risk profile but they way I look at it is that at least you know that…and can take actions to identify and meet that risk head on. If you believe you are in a job with no down side risk, you will be blindsided when there is a restructuring or a lay off. I learned this many years ago when I left Arthur Andersen. I was in Washington, DC, working with the Business Consulting group, doing well, and just wanted to go do something with a startup. It was circa 1998 so you probably know how the story ends and, yes, come 2001 I was available. My colleagues at Arthur Andersen who lectured me about risk found themselves blindsided and out of work shortly after as the Enron fiasco took down a company that was founded in 1913.

It sill sucked but I was prepared for it because I knew and could see the risk. Being available allowed me to help start a new company from the ashes of the dot com bust and begin a winding career path that led to 5 more startups, a move to the West Coast and eventually finding myself running a small seed fund working with great entrepreneurs.

Image via Flickr

Cross posted from the Venture Vice blog