I've been thinking a lot about this over the last few days.
I have a new client who is very methodically constructing a business plan to grow a new consulting practice. I am engaged with the project to think creatively on the marketing side, but I have been very impressed with is thoughtfulness in building his new company. Slowly, and carefully.
I have also been talking with a colleague over the last several weeks, and the two of us are strategizing over a potential new business idea. We aren't in any hurry. But it has been fun to take our time with it and really think through every tiny element of what it might take to pull this little business together.
And then I look back to when I formed Intrepid, just about three years ago. And wow - what a difference. I slammed this thing together and dove head first into the water and never looked back. These days, citing the first two examples above, I would never go about forming, or helping form, a new business without careful thought, methodical planning, and taking things step-by-careful-step.
But that doesn't mean I regret how I launched Intrepid.
The goals of my business then are so very different from where they are today. But that's ok. That happens. In fact, if you are NOT going to spend time carefully planning your new business, I'd rather you jump right in and learn from mistakes - then never start to begin with. I hate seeing would-be entrepreneurs who never take the first step out of fear of the unknown.
So what are you going to do? How are you going to launch? Think it through and prepare carefully if you can. But if not, dive in anyway. Learn. Experiment. The water is fine...