Do It Yourself

Although I am a dreamer and ideas are the lifeblood, I can also write, draw, develop, build, negotiate, add up figures and bring people along with me.

Pretty much anyone can do all those things if you get past the block that says, “I can’t.” Hires are expensive, partners are even more expensive, professionals are very expensive and consultants — well, there’s a reason why I call them the C word.

Low overheads give you time and freedom.

The more you do yourself, the fewer people you employ, the more money you save, and because you have a vision of where you want to get to, you are in the best position to keep it all together. Especially today, when the internet has so much information.

Expand Close

When you are further on in the project, then the megalomaniac (that’s me!), who was needed to get things started, can hand over to a team who are better than him.

Broad talents are valuable for organisations too. Everyone I know is looking for the perfect social media guy and I found one, Michael Hewes, who could do graphic design, set design, edited my book, and produced my YouTube videos, as well.

Others have made more money for me than I have ever made for myself and that is the goal.

Having the money to buy something, or pay someone, often robs us of an opportunity to be creative.

Mokokoma Mokhonoana

I had an idea called Floating Islands, floating concrete platforms that could be factory built and assembled in situ in protected bays. In my mind they’d have real houses and be landscaped with real palm trees and rocky and sandy shores. When you came into the bay they would look and function just like real islands but at a fraction of the price and maintenance. I called it inventing new real estate where there had previously just been water.

Expand Close

I tried to build them myself, hiring all the talent person by person and also  equipment boatload by boatload, and it went wrong at every turn! What I should have done is to get the best architect and the best builder out of Miami, give them a budget and tell them to get on with it. Recognising your limitations will save you a lot of money in the long run.

  • Take Away

    DIY

  • Perfection gets in the way. Be willing to compromise 10-30% to do it their way not your way.

  • If you don’t run out of money you are still in business – simple.

  • Hire talent with a will to prove themselves – promote beyond their experience.

  • Think big – it’s the same amount of effort.

  • Money and investment always comes if the project is good enough.

  • Meet people, fail lots, make a fool of yourself, let it be messy. When you fall over, get up and dust yourself off.