{n}courage

(6 minute read)

Listen to the article 🔗

I'm Israel Donaldson…and this is how I became an INtrepreneur and how you can too:

 

No, that's not a typo of the word "entrepreneur." It's "IN-trepreneur."  This is a word I heard someone say in passing years ago and it immediately stuck with me. Now I didn't do much with it or contemplate it's meaning a whole lot at the time; but I did recognize it's disruptive nature.

 

   As I was growing in my knowledge and skills within my career I began to notice "problems" (what I refer to as "areas of opportunity") and now for the first time I was beginning to actually know what needed to be done to solve these "problems."

 

   But even then I wasn't extremely compelled or motivated to set out in creating the solution because I believed that an individual contributor couldn't actually solve problems. I believed that was for leadership or some sort of upper management. Probably someone with a nice suit, a watch collection, and brand new luxury car. But definitely not someone like me. I thought, someday when I get "there" I'll go after these areas of opportunity then…later.

 

  After several years of seeing all these areas of opportunity, I came across one that I couldn't ignore or just push into "someday." I knew I wanted to at least be a part of whatever team I’m sure existed somewhere that was already working on the solution.

 

   So I set out to find that team.

 

   I talked to everyone, which was the first thing I learned: EVERYONE loves to talk about what they do! I set meetings with people at the same level, one or two levels above me, and even talked with a couple VPs. Every single person I sent a meeting invite to within my company accepted and showed up or requested a better time for them. It was amazing! I was able to connect with people within my organization that someone outside my company at their level would likely ignore on LinkedIn.

  

   Why? We already had something in common: the company! In even the smallest way, we were on the same team, working towards the same goal, had the same ELT team, were part of the same culture. And it was the foot in the door I never knew I had. All these years I didn't know I was actually a member of whatever company I was at right along with everyone else there, regardless of their role or level.

 

  Now when I joined these meetings, the first thing I always did was thank them for saying yes to a random meeting from a random person! I wanted them to know that by them just showing up they had already shown me kindness and generosity. If you tell someone who they are, they will act like it and live up to it. By telling them they were generous, they were much more likely to continue to be. Now I honestly didn't even think of that at the time. I was genuinely thankful. I mean, what a supportive act to be willing to share your time with someone who randomly reached out to you!

 

   I then gave them my elevator pitch of what I was working on and how that caused me to reach out to them because of who they were, the role they had, or who had referred me to them. Then, I asked them for their input, if they were working on that problem or knew who was, and how they thought it would be best to go about it.
(I dive into the how-to details more in the INtrepreneur Course)

 

   So as I connected with many people over months, I found some who were very interested in the things I was seeing! Many people said things like "yeah that would be great" or "we need that for sure" or "it's a no brainer" and then I got a few people who said "do you own this program?" "are you working on this?" "how can I help?" and suggestions of next steps and referrals to more people!

 

  Along this whole journey of meeting people, I began learning so much more about the "problem" than I ever knew or expected to know. I gained new perspectives, understanding of the needs and desires of other teams, I learned who should be involved and considered in the solution, what the solution should look like, and more importantly that all of that, I learned who was willing to help me. What I actually did was cast a vision and built a team around me and my idea.

 

  Now after learning all of this, I was more knowledgeable, connected, informed, and motivated to do something! So…I did. I got to work!

 

   I didn't have support from my management to change roles, I wasn't given a new role, and I hadn't even gotten approval. Why didn't I go try to get those things? Because I know that there are a lot of great ideas thrown around all the time. There is no shortage of good ideas. Nearly everyone has had a "million dollar idea." What the world lacks are people brave enough to become doers. And we need more doers.

 

   Before I even realized it, I has started a side-hustle inside the company I was working at. Not outside. I didn't start a podcast, or give my life to Amway, or try to land an angel investor for my amazing app idea.

​

I saw an area of opportunity in the area I was most familiar with, where I had the most contacts and support, around those with similar interests, where I had the most resources, and where my efforts could make the largest impact.

 

WITHIN MY CURRENT ORGANIZATION!

 

   From there, the team I had assembled and I built a solution, ran a pilot program, tested it, got more feedback, iterated, and finally took my full solution idea and tested findings to the head of our business. Notice that I didn't take my early idea to him. I took my vetted, tested, and proven solution to him. This is what made it so easy for him to say yes to and support the solution!

 

   He didn't have to do anything, oversee anything, manage anything, do a risk analysis, figure out budget, or even ask the question of if it worked. I didn't ask anything of my leadership. I came to him with an offer of something that was already proven and showed him that I was willing to pour my own time and efforts into it before ever asking him to make a single consideration or decision.

 

 I brought my leadership a solution.