Never do it for the money
Judith David from Working Woman recently talked to Yvonne O'Donavan, CEO Ambel Ltd, Sheffield who told her ...
"All the helpful tips in the world to help you run your business, support your start-up, finance your project, and find your customers will be as nothing if you fail to see the bigger picture". Read the full article written by Yvonne below ... 
Marianne Williamson said "Do what you love. Do what makes your heart sing. And never do it for the money." She ended by saying that if you do it for love and spread joy, then the Maserati would get there when supposed to. I hear Maseratis are out of favour this year, along with Hummers and Porsches, since the banking crisis put paid to bonus culture.
This month is the anniversary of the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, which pundits believe was the final push that knocked the walls of Wall Street and sent the financial world tumbling down. So what is the connection between an exhortation from a self-help guru and global economics?
What does any of it have to do with my business, or indeed my life? The thread is that we need more women in business, the arts, government and politics, and unless we see the way all these elements weave together we have no power to transform the current situation. We are frightened by what we do not understand.
Sheila had a terrific idea and was very talented but failed to make a go of it. She is now on benefits. Most of us are afraid to fail so why give up the pay-check? My redundant friend Nancy says "Hah! A pay-check would be a fine thing, but with no jobs going what's to give up!"
"Fear of debt is the single largest barrier to entrepreneurship for both men and women, although women are significantly more fearful than men." (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, Jan 2004)
So, if joy is to be of service and successful enterprise aims to delight, why is it that so many of us trade off survival and success? You bounce between doing what you love and forcing yourself to love what you have to do. The most helpful way to view this conundrum is as three overlapping circles: industry/economy, the trading entity, the individual. Unless all are lined up in your favour then you can fall through the moving wheels and it hurts. (I have at least three failures to show the scars!)
All the helpful tips in the world to help you run your business, support your start-up, finance your project, and find your customers will be as nothing if you fail to see the bigger picture. Individual bankers were doing a great job but they still failed. Once they started doing it just for the Maserati and not because they loved it then we all bear the cost. Yvonne O'Donovan http://www.ambel.co.uk/