Serious Entrepreneurs Don’t Stock Up on Toilet Paper

Like a fairy tale, almost every successful entrepreneur has their very own “Cinderella” story, or, more known as a “rags-to-riches” story: from busing tables in restaurants to becoming millionaires by their 20’sfrom living in a dump calling itself a flat, to owning many homes, one for every day of the week.

And while all those stories are inspiring to hopeful entrepreneurs, the road to riches is a bit more “down and dirty.”

Consider the approach taken by Mike Michalowicz, and ask yourself, “Am I a ‘Toilet Paper Entrepreneur’?”

Mike compares true entrepreneurialism to a typical bathroom experience: “business” is done and you discover only 3 sheets of TP left on the roll! Necessity breeds invention if you want to leave the rest room smelling like a rose.

He adds that successful and serious entrepreneurs are not those who sit around and wait for someone to hand them a “roll of toilet paper”.

They take matters into their own hands and search within reach that they use. If you must, dig through the garbage, or use the roll of cardboard instead and move on.

Moreover, serious entrepreneurs make it a habit of not making excuses and are impatient to those people who do.

You’ll never hear them say

“I don’t have enough money right now.”

“I’m not smart enough for that.”

“I can’t. I’m too busy. I don’t have enough time.”

“It takes too long to build a business.”

“There’s too much risk involved. I’m too scared.”

“I’m too old for this.”

They don’t sit back on the loo and wait for the toilet paper. They grab it, or they make it. In the same way, they don’t wait for their dreams to come true. They MAKE it come true.

In funding a new venture, they don’t just wait for the money to come, but they find ingenious ways and use their strengths to finance the project.

By the way, millionaires are a frugal (as opposed to cheap) bunch: Warren Buffett, the third richest person in the world, according to Forbes, lives in the same Omaha, Nebraska, home he bought four decades ago for $31,500.

They don’t, contrary to popular opinion, multitaskthey focus on one task until it’s done.

They aren’t perfectioniststhey say, “Good is good enough.”

And that’s because they have learned that money likes speed.

They know that by the time they’ve perfected their sales letter, website, or ad campaign, their competition will have already capitalized on their idea and left them in the dust.

Basically, they’re more doers, than thinkers.

They aren’t afraid of risksthey take calculated measures to reduce risks.

Dick Costolo, founder of Feedburner.com said, “The key is to just get on the bike, and the key to getting on the bike is to stop thinking about ‘there are a bunch of reasons I might fall off’ and just hop on and peddle the damned thing. You can pick up a map, a tire pump, and better footwear along the way.”

Serious Entrepreneurs don’t need toilet paper.

Why? Most likely they have a spare napkin in their pocket with their next million dollar business plan scribbled on its back.