Cocktails with Carl
Written by Carl Monty, Director and Partner at June Co.
“Entrepreneurial Spirit”—How do you Define it?
At June Co., we’ve hired a number of people that have come from large corporate environments. Their resumes were impressive, their interviewing skills were polished, and we were confident that they could pass their vast knowledge onto others in our organization. We’d extend an offer, they’d accept, and the partnership usually started off well. But it didn’t take long for things to start heading in the wrong direction. Frustration set in and most of those people didn’t end up sticking around very long.
So why was this happening? These candidates were smart and experienced and had a ton of value to add. We were a growing company that needed some expertise in certain areas in order to realize our opportunities. It should have been a match made in heaven-only it wasn’t.
What we learned was that most of these people lacked a key intangible needed to thrive in a small company. It’s called entrepreneurial spirit and it has since become an important part of our value system. Here is how we define it, “An environment that is resilient, optimistic and eager to build something from nothing.”
To get more specific, below are some of the important characteristics we are seeking when meeting with potential employees and key partners.
They believe that no job is too small. There is an inherent understanding that there aren’t always defined tasks for certain people. Who takes out the garbage? We don’t spend a lot of time talking about this-but we can recognize a problem when we hear those 4 terrible words, “that’s not my job”. This is a sure sign we’ve made a mistake.
They are not afraid of risk. A fear of failure doesn’t slow them down. They are willing to move swiftly through an assessment and make a decision without guarantees of success.
They are confident and optimistic. Believing in a new idea is half the battle. They aren’t focused on what could go wrong or the “doom and gloom”.
They are open to change and constantly seeking improvement. You may have heard the saying, “when everyone agrees on something only 1 person is thinking.” We don’t want “yes people”. People with an entrepreneurial spirit are always questioning how things are done and not afraid to go against the majority.
They are goal oriented. Writing down specific goals and measuring progress is important to someone with an entrepreneurial spirit. They have an unmatched passion for progress and achievement.
Now, this is not to say that everyone coming from a corporate environment cannot also have these characteristics. They most certainly can. It’s just my experience that most corporate environments are very process driven and they specifically train people to perform certain tasks before moving the job to the next person. Once those people are asked to step outside of their comfort zones they feel exposed and vulnerable. This is not a good combination for a smaller, entrepreneurial organization that relies on people to take care of additional responsibilities.
We’ve learned our lesson the hard way and those experiences forced us to further define who the right teammates and partners were for our culture as we move forward. We’re better because of it and for that I’m grateful.
Cocktail Recipe: Mint Julep
Although the Kentucky Derby is behind us we can still enjoy this during the month of May.
Here’s what you will need:
Approximately 8 mint leaves
¼ ounce Simple Syrup
2 ounces Bourbon
Mint Sprig Garnish
In a Julep cup or rocks glass, muddle the mint leaves together with the simple syrup.
Add the bourbon and pack the cup/glass with ice.
Stir together until the cup/glass begins to frost on the outside.
Top with more crushed ice and garnish with the mint sprig.