In the wake of Whitney Houston’s death I was listening to an interview by Kelly Price, a Grammy award nominated R&B singer. Ms. Price brought a different perspective to the life of an entertainer that I had never heard put in quite the same terms.
Ms. Price explained that it is a “calling” to be an entertainer who rises to the level of someone like Whitney Houston. She further explained that every time the talent is on stage nearly every ounce of emotion is expelled and spent. She talked about how a person who gives so much needs support too.
She didn’t make any excuses for the behavior of any entertainer or for Ms. Houston in particular, but there are a lot of people around to bask in the light of the entertainer. That entourage may indulge the person’s moods and demands without giving them the guidelines that may be so desperately needed.
I started wondering how much an entrepreneur’s life models that of an entertainer. Granted, I am certainly no celebrity. But a lot of the things that Kelly Price was explaining about Whitney Houston’s life rang a bell of familiarity.
It is a “calling”. I suppose that there are a lot of people who become a business owner by happenstance, but for most entrepreneurs I think that there is a tremendous passion to do things differently, better, faster, or cheaper than the competition. There is a drive in a person like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates that doesn’t give up when people turn their backs on their ideas. Even for my company there were times I wanted to quit. But the obligation that I felt to my clients and my employees always kept me going.
Every ounce of emotion is expelled and spent. I am a bad date on Friday nights. I’m exhausted from a week of giving my all every day. I can’t compare that to being on stage for 2-3 hours a night for sure, but the emotional toll can certainly be felt. A lot of balls need to be juggled and a lot of people depend on me to do my job well. I watch the finances of the company, make sure that our vendors stay happy, keep employee morale in check, maintain relationships with our customers and strategic partners, and provide direction for the company. I’m pretty well spent by Friday night.
A person who gives so much needs support too. No entrepreneur can be terrifically successful without support. Thank goodness I have a lot of that. I am blessed with a loving husband of 34 years, two terrific sons and their wives who check in on me regularly. My parents and I talk every weekend, and my brothers and extended family are there whenever I might need them. I’m also very fortunate to have a fabulous team who puts out their best efforts every day. They embrace our company values and provide services to our clients that I’m confident are unrivaled. Every day that they come to work is a good day for me.
Indulgent moods, demands, and guidelines. I’m not always easy to be around. I act like a 2-year old sometimes. I admit it. But as with a 2-year old, I shouldn’t (and don’t) always get my way. I appreciate it when my family, my employee, or my friend tells me that I need to re-think something. The result is almost always better than if I just bull my way through getting what I want. I have learned to temper my demands, and ask for help. I think it has made me a better person, and I’m sure that it has made our company better.
I embrace who I am, and I love my company to no end. I am proud to call myself an entrepreneur. I am no entertainer, and luckily I have found some balance with the help of the people around me. I have a great “entourage” and wouldn’t trade them for anyone. I can only hope that more entertainers find themselves with similar situation so that more can avoid the terrible fate of so many who die so young.
