Powills: Catch the Entrepreneur Before They Catch You

Every business has the chance to be great. But greatness is not born in just one person in a great company. It is a complete deck of cards. I have a very passionate vision of our agency (No Limit Agency*) becoming the greatest agency that ever existed. I will try my best to never shy away from that vision. But, I am very conscious that my vision will only come true with the support of others. There would be no possible way for me sail a great agency ship without the right agency crew. I think back to the businesses I was “employed” at. Did they see a budding entrepreneur in me, or did they see just another employee who desired a job, not a career? I doubt the true answers will ever be defined. However, had they seen that I was destined to create one of the top 40 fastest growing companies in Chicago, would they have tried to capture me in a bottle? I enjoy studying success in business. In fact, I am given the pleasure of working with many great companies as they shuffle through the daily junk and obstacles in search of becoming better, and better, and better. I love finding their x-factors. Rarely is an x-factor born of a product. More often it is the result of great people. In fact, when looking at each of the 50 brands our agency represents, the DNA of the x-factor is much different brand-to-brand, yet the foundation remains the same – a great entrepreneurial vision on its way to fruition. The difference between good and great is a game of inches. And, great people attract great people. The more great people I find, reward, and support, the more great people our agency will be able to add. And then, when other agencies or careers come calling, our team will be so strong; nothing will be able to break it up. This achievement is not simple. However, I believe the secret to greatness in any company comes from the people, their visions, and a business’ ability to capture the creative, entrepreneurial energy of those they work with. Great companies are not easy to create. In fact, I am not sure there has ever been a great forever company. Sure, there are many that are close – the IMBs, Apples, Nikes, Fords, but all of these great companies are simply great in many real time moments. All businesses have issues. Think about how difficult it is to make a marriage work – and that’s only two people. Now multiply that by 10 or 100. Leaders have to find a way to herd the crowd and get the majority to walk in the same direction. Not easy, and especially not easy when you don’t own the people you work with (meaning, you have no control of when they stay and when they go). Businesses that desire greatness find a way to hold onto their golden employees – and in many cases, find a way to make them golden partners. The x-factor in keeping great people is this thing called equity. And why, as a business owner would you not want to share equity with people who have heart? Selfishness and ego. If you want to be a great business, bottle the entrepreneurial spirit. Never shy away from it. Embrace it. The thought of an entrepreneur can be scary. They are the people who will look at your business and think of ways to make it better. But that’s where you have the opportunity, as a business owner, to sway their path. If you fight their entrepreneurial spirit, they will go create their own business and will always crave beating you at the game you taught them. If you embrace it, they will want to be a part of your dream and will fight harder than anyone else to make your business better. When you spot an entrepreneur, reward them. Change an “I” dream to a “we” dream. I know that I, Nick Powills, will forever be great at managing a 25-person agency as a solo leader. But, if I want to create an awesome 75-person agency, I will need several great partners to do so. At 25-people, it’s no longer about making money – it’s about creating something great and doing so by surrounding myself with incredible people who have grit, who care, and who have a vision to make No Limit Agency a better company. I will do my absolute best to always capture the entrepreneur, and then work with them to make our company better.