The Making of a Successful Entrepreneur - 2018 Fall-Winter Spectrum Magazine

The Making of a Successful Entrepreneur By Shaun Lane SPECTRUM: What are MORRIS: I read a lot.  I talk some of the lessons that to people in the industry.  It’s never easy running the show, you’ve learned so far? I talk to people outside especially when you’re starting a MORRIS: Not to give the industry.  I talk to new business. When Jeff Morris, up when things get successful business a member of NABA Atlanta, difficult.  Really believe owners.  I read the Wall started CPA Allies, he dealt in yourself because it’s Street Journal daily to with his fair share of struggles. so easy to say ‘man, am see what’s going on in Sometimes he was unprepared. I crazy for trying to do this?  Or unsure. Or never saw hurdles This is just not happening.  It’s not the world of business and coming his way until he had clicking.’  But if you have that stick-to- finance.  I’m a restless soul when tripped right over them. itiveness and you believe in yourself, it comes to self-improvement. it’ll happen because it takes time SPECTRUM: What’s the first thing But soon, Jeff learned the and persistence.  A lot of times we you do when you wake up in the truth: It’s okay to mess up. To feel aren’t patient, and we get frustrated morning? overwhelmed and beaten. Every and quit before we reach the point MORRIS: I read two Christian entrepreneur, no matter how of achieving success and having that devotionals called Our Daily Bread, prepared, trips over unexpected breakthrough. and Jesus Calling.  I try to let these hurdles. The successful ones learn SPECTRUM: With all that you know devotionals guide me through the to get back up as soon as possible. now, what do you wish you knew day.  There’s one message that I when you first started? always keep that says the Lord has To learn how Jeff deals with various MORRIS: I wish I would’ve been you, so whatever you’re worried obstacles, he shared some of his exposed to money, finance and about, don’t, because He has you.  I struggles, how he overcomes investments earlier in my life.  I don’t try to use that as my daily guiding them and what he has learned have any regrets because all of my light in addition to my internal along the way. experiences have been extremely voice that tells me what I need to valuable. accomplish that day.  I also listen to SPECTRUM: The Small Business SPECTRUM: What do you think Joel Osteen on my drive to the office Association (SBA) states that 30% of is the biggest hurdle that every because he always has a positive new businesses fail during the first entrepreneur must tackle? message. two years, 50% during the first five MORRIS: People have different SPECTRUM: How do you overcome and 66% during the first 10. Why ones, but I would say not giving self-doubt? does this happen? up too soon and believing in MORRIS: That’s hard to answer yourself.  Some people don’t have because I struggle with that.  I have MORRIS: There are a lot of reasons: that problem. They believe in a close circle of friends and family cash flow, planning, targeting the themselves and will walk through members that I reach out to and I wrong ideal client, and not enough walls to accomplish their goals.  ask them, ‘Am I crazy?  Am I crazy marketing. However, some people need a little for trying to do this and continuing encouragement when they don’t to strive for this?’  And I get nothing SPECTRUM: What do you think have immediate success.  There are but positive feedback because makes a successful entrepreneur? so many pitfalls along the way, but they say when they talk to me, I’m What are the traits in a person? when you have success, you forget always doing something positive, about all the losses because of the and they say my energy and drive MORRIS: Someone who is win in front of you and your efforts encourages them.  It’s important to disciplined; someone who is not afraid that made it happen. have people in your circle that are to ask deep questions about the SPECTRUM: What do you do to not always going to tell you what business; not afraid to take chances; continue to grow and develop your you want to hear, but they’ll tell you not afraid of challenges; not afraid of business, CPA Allies? what you need to hear, and there’s a being told ‘no’ multiple times, and difference between the two. ▲ someone who believes so strongly that they are willing to sacrifice a lot to fulfill that dream. 10 SPECTRUM | FALL/WINTER 2018