Circle(s) of Life?

No, I'm not referring to the Elton John song, although ikigai speaks to that very thing in many ways. After discussing my unique skills and interests, I'm left to write about the final aspects of ikigai. Namely, the value these skills can provide to the world (or a small part thereof) and the opportunity to make a living. I'll start with the latter one first.

With any business, after identifying a product or service, the subsequent understanding needs to be whether there is any existing customer demand or new customer demand can be generated. I went through the process in 2019. After defining my offerings, I narrowed down my potential clients (or ideal customers). First and foremost (and yes, right or wrong), I focused on geography. Knowing one of my initial objectives in starting this business was to find a better way to spend more time with my family vs what were often the 60+ hour demands in a corporate environment, I knew I wanted to keep the focus on my part of the world, namely Southwest Ontario. Toronto is, to some, the epicenter of this part of Canada, so I chose to exclude covering the Toronto market. The corridor from Windsor to Kitchener, Waterloo, and Guelph would encompass the area I was looking at.

What else did I decide to do? Small and medium-sized companies were my target customers. I don't have the startup experience to provide enough insights for those pre-seed and seed companies and the larger companies generally have their people (or teams) who could provide support in much the same way I would.

I'm not a fan of cold calling or blind reach-outs (I'm generally not receptive to them, as they're often done incorrectly). Instead, I did a lot of networking. I leveraged a coach to guide me on the business development side of things. LinkedIn was my primary method of connecting with people. I'd comment on articles and connect with people I had something in common. I also met with many former colleagues or friends to share my current path and plan.

And the key question I'm sure you're thinking about. Did it work?

And the honest answer. Yes and No.

An experienced entrepreneur has often told me you're not an entrepreneur until you have customers and revenue. I qualified as an entrepreneur and made a living according to that measure.

However, whether it was impatience or uncertainty (or both), there was always that gnawing sense of instability in my mind over whether I had created enough long-term sustainability. I had a customer base, but not as significant as I would have liked after 20 months of activity. Maybe it was partly because I hadn't clearly identified my skills and passion (see the 1st two parts of this series). I had confidence in myself and my abilities, but some of my more natural introversion likely still held me back on the business development front.

So what did I do? About two years into my consulting journey, I hedged my bets. I accepted a role with an organization that needed support with the type of work that I enjoyed doing—strategy deployment, Balanced Scorecard and KPIs, and operational execution. While I was still doing some consulting work, I had this safety net beneath me. And guess what? I missed being a full-time consultant, and I wasn't happy. Even though I've had this long career as an employee and a leader, the independence and flexibility I had grown accustomed to as a consultant was more of a show-stopper than I thought it would be. After some discussions, deliberation and the right timing, I ended my contract with the organization. I made a difference in a few aspects; we pivoted the direction and structure of the company, and we brought on some great people. I know we parted on good terms, yet I'm sure there was some disappointment at the brevity of my time there. Internal growth and development are ongoing, regardless of experience and age. As much as I learned from the experience, I'm sure the organization did and hopefully has gone on to bigger and better things.

So, last year, I returned full-time to JEWAL, and I haven't looked back. Business has been good, although it still takes a lot of effort to balance the business development and relationship piece of being a consultant with the actual engagements. That's OK; it's what I know I want to be doing. And the satisfaction that comes from that, to quote Mastercard, is "priceless."

Do I still need to expand my client base a bit further? Absolutely. I know I'll get there, though. New discussions are happening weekly. And most of the time, I find myself smiling, as I know this is part of the journey I was meant to be on. It only took me a bit longer than some to discover it.

And the last piece of ikigai, making a difference in my small corner of the world? I would say it's just that, a small corner and a slight difference. Very few of us are fortunate to leave a legacy on a broader scale. From scientists to activists to politicians (I can't believe I'm saying this) to celebrities and inventors, we can cite those who have influenced the world over the last century. I would cite Einstein, Kennedy, MLK Jr, Reagan, Mandela, Gorbachev, Mother Theresa, Elvis, Beatles, Jackie Robinson, Gretzky, Jordan, Ali, Gates, Jobs, and thousands of others. Rare are those who leave a lasting impact on the world and successive generations. It is a fantastic accomplishment for those that do. Mostly, they had incredible talents and made excellent decisions to move the world ahead. I understand who I am and what I do. My legacy will be with my family, and I'm very proud to say that.

However, do I know I've provided the companies I work with support and guidance to improve? Absolutely, and in some cases, those outcomes support our communities, friends, and families. So, even though I am very much behind the scenes (which is still my preference), I know I am positively impacting others to enable them to make a more significant difference. And for me, that's a strong enough accomplishment to meet that final circle.

Even though I've written about ikigai before and have been familiar with the term for a relatively short time (maybe five years), this blog set has helped me learn more about myself. I hope it causes you some reflection as well. And even at the most basic level, that is likely what ikigai is all about.

Well, that's enough self-reflection (I'll keep the rest to myself, at least, for now, even though it never truly stops).

Next, I'll return to more business and technology topics—yes, that first circle of ikigai.

Darren