New year’s resolutions

Its really weird how time flies. I remember when I was a kid. I felt like time was moving so slowly, but now time is running like an Olympic champion. I am afraid I’m missing out on the real values in life. I’m afraid I’m running for the gold medal with my eyes shut.  

For me the real values in life are intangible. Real values are when I feel that I’m making a positive and significant difference for other people or the environment. It is also the love I get from people around me, mostly from my family and close friends and it’s the feeling of victory. It could be in sports or in business. Unfortunately I am a victory junkie. Sometimes the pleasing feeling of doing well takes up too much attention in my life, but its mainly because I’m so passionate about what I’m doing I don’t feel like I’m working. As a matter of fact I set out some rules for myself regarding what types of work I would be doing in the future already the second year in University. I said to myself that I would never, ever take on any jobs that weren’t particularly useful or interesting to me. Meaning I would only work on projects I felt genuinely passionate about.   

While most of my friends had part time jobs at some bar just to have an income I was being extremely picky and prepared to do almost whatever it took to get an interesting job.  One of my favorite jobs was for one of the worlds biggest credit rating companies in the world; Dun and Bradstreet selling credit ratings, which taught me invaluable sales techniques. Another great job was an internship for Tv2, Norway’s biggest commercial television channel as a journalist on one of the most central murder cases in Norway. The Martine Vik-case. But guess what, I really never felt like I was working during this time of my life…. well maybe when I was working for Dun and Bradstreet. It could get brutal on the phone sometimes, but besides from that I think it’s a smart idea to only do what you are passionate about because that way you hold out longer.

As much as I love what I do and often feel like I’m not working at all, just playing, I think that my number 1. New Year resolution this year will be to spend slightly more time just being, and not doing or at least spend less time working and more time on my hobbies which I have neglected the two last years. I used to play guitar, write songs, do some acting, painting etc. I feel like I need to take that back into my life.

I don’t like the thought of not being as efficient as possible, but I don’t want to become a workaholic. I need to change from being a victory junkie to a victory lover because to be successful in life is so much more than to be successful running a company. I want to be a good friend, daughter and a parent whenever that time comes. I would also like to stay healthy and have a rich life outside my company. So to all other young entrepreneurs reading this take a minute to think about what you really want in life, because I’m sure its not only to be the number one in business, or is it? We just need to work smarter.

(Note: The used is not my official new years resolution list. I am not losing 15 pounds...for sure!)

Just do it!

I just got home from a 3 weeks business trip to LA and Miami mixed with a little vacation so I’m sorry for not have posted anything during these weeks.

It was definitely scary to take the next step entering the American market. It was scary because I know how hard people in the US work to succeed. Americans are famous for being the best in the world in so many fields.

Successful people don’t try over there, they do it and the work moral is so high that most people who come from countries like me where you don’t really have to work (I am from Norway) cant stand a chance. We are simply too spoiled and lazy, so be aware of this before you get all crazy like me.  On the other side, I think you have to be slightly crazy (I mean VERY CRAZY) to think you can outcompete Americans and actually do it; because it’s a totally irrational thought to believe that you can become better than the best in the world when the best in the world in my industry have 20-40 years of experience. But the good news is if you really are hungry enough and you are willing to get out of your comfort zones to reach your goals Americans are more than willing to help you, even if you sound a little bit like a mental patient.

I had 9 meetings all in all during my trip and all with the CEOs of the companies. I was amazed how warm and helping they all were. Not even ONE underestimated me as an entrepreneur or competitor. In fact they all wanted to help me and I even sealed some pretty good deals over there with highly respected and experienced people from the industry.

Ok, so I was a little too generous making my offer almost stupid to turn down, but I think it is better in the long term for both my company and my clients to have experienced people with skills working for me, giving away a significant cut to my partners and employees than to get all obsessed about the money. I’m not really doing it for the money anyway. I’m doing it because its fun and because I know I can do well.

I’m more worried about doing it the right way with the right people than getting rich within the first year. I’m sure some of you would disagree to my generous business model, because you believe in capitalism (so do I), greed is good, but in this specific industry, the private investigation industry, skills and experience is so extremely important. I think making it easier for potential partners, being generous has made it easier for me, because I am more or less useless without them. Well…not really, cause I do have great ideas, I have worked as a PI myself, I’m really good at sales…(I used to be one of those annoying telesellers who would never take no for an answer) and I think different than most people. Plus I’m innovative and I spot opportunities where even my biggest competitors fail to see it, BUT they have more money than me which must never be ignored and they have invaluable experience, but most of all they have a history and clients; clients that I need.  I could do it without them, but at a slower pace. MUCH slower pace.  

Conclusion: Just do it!