If you were in David Einhorn’s shoes at the end of 1997, would you have done what he did?
In 1996, 27 years old Einhorn left a good job to start his own hedge fund. He figured he’d start by raising $10,000,000 but managed only $900,000 – more than half from his own parents.
Not a very big vote of confidence from the marketplace.
But things quickly changed as people realized he was different. Einhorn got real results.
Less than two years later, he ended 1997 up 57.9 percent and $75,000,000 under management.
Then he closed his doors. Temporarily. Because he felt more capital, at that time, would have prevented him doing the best he could for the investment partners he already had.
Would you do what Einhorn did? Or would you take as much as people were willing to throw at you because, hey, who knows what tomorrow will bring?
For the last week I’ve been contemplating my own micro, mini, nano version of that.
2013 has been a record year for us. We’ve enrolled more clients and booked more sales than the first six months of 2012 combined.
“How to Elegantly Control Your Next Sales Conversation” has been very well received – on every metric.
When you’re on a roll, it’s tempting to keep going. But, that wouldn’t be taking the long term view.
My approach has always been to build a long term, sustainable business. And that means our internal operations and systems, as well as our hopper of new products and services, must be kept in balance.
And so, with the exception of two or three people who we’re already in conversation with, I’ve decided that we won’t be taking on new clients until the beginning of April. Instead, March will be for:
— Moving my current clients forward as fast as possible, creating their own steady, consistent, predictable flow of ideal customers and clients.
— Development of some new programs that have been in the hopper for a couple of years. I feel the time is right.
— A short, three day family trip up north.
It’s has been a wild ride to get here. Many years of painful trial and error before I came to understand how to build a real business around my talents and skills.
And I’m grateful to you for being here.
For reading my emails.
For being a client, if you are.
For getting a copy of “The Manual – How to Systematically and Consistently Attract First Rate Customers” and working it through in my private Oasis Forums.
Or for joining me in “How to Elegantly Control Your Next Sales Conversation”.
I’m very grateful that you’ve given me the the chance to help you move further along on your own journey.
Because if there’s one thing I know from my own ups and downs, and there have been many, we just can’t do it on our own.
I invite your comments on this blog.
Dov Gordon
