Q: From Joe Oberman, Florida Healthcare IT, “Do you think I can be successful at marketing?”
A: While this may seem like an odd question to some of the members, I think it’s actually one that many people think to themselves, but don’t ask me outright. Therefore, it’s a great one for me to address here.
First off, I don’t know enough about you to accurately answer that question. I didn’t interview you, haven’t reviewed your business plan, nor have I tested your skills; yet your question reveals a lot. In fact, it screams self-doubt. And if you lack the self-confidence to answer that question with a “Why the hell not?” then you’re in serious trouble.
In his book, “Often Wrong, Never In Doubt,” Donny Deutch said that one of the reasons he’s been able to be so successful in business, growing one of the most successful advertising firms of our time (he sold it for $265 million), landing the popular TV show “The Big Idea,” and authoring two best-selling books is because he always took the attitude, “Why NOT me?” Donny was born in Queens, New York and was actually fired from his father’s advertising agency.
Oprah was born in an impoverished rural town in Mississippi. She was raped at age nine and became pregnant at age 14—her son died in infancy. There’s no apparent reason why she should go on to become one of the wealthiest African-Americans in the 20th century, at one time being the only black billionaire. My friend, Sean Stephenson, is 3 feet tall and confined to a wheelchair. He can’t perform the most basic of functions like washing his own hair. He was born with brittle bones disorder and was given months to live. He’s now in his mid-thirties, happily married to a beautiful woman, a best-selling author who has been on various TV shows and travels around the world teaching people how to “get off their but” and realize their biggest goals and dreams. There’s no reason why he should be as successful as he is.
As Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” I sincerely hope that you take the attitude that you CAN be successful at ANYTHING you choose to be successful at. One thing I know for certain is that anyone can become a highly-successful marketer if they are willing to be a serious student of it. Same goes with anything in life. Although I don’t know for certain, my guess is that you’re asking this question because you are a startup business, probably a technician and have zero experience in marketing—possibly even a complete distaste for it. Welcome to the family; you’re in the same boat as about 80% of our members. I would strongly encourage you to get to Boot Camp and even consider joining the Producers Club if it’s financially possible to swing. The acceleration of success will be significant from both the shortcuts and best practices you’ll learn from this band of eager, enthusiastic entrepreneurs, but you’ll also gain a lot of confidence and support.
