To be respected by customers, employees, and your community, lead from the front by example. Conversely, to be regarded in contempt by people, just issue orders that you personally don’t follow. To build a following, be a person of action. 

Think like a man of action, but act like a man of thought.

Mark Zuckerberg is a controversial figure who leads a controversial service that is used nearly universally. Most of us are familiar with the story of Facebook, started by Zuckerberg in a dorm room at Harvard University. “Zuck” wrote the code and created a platform with pictures and biographic information where male students could…rate and meet girls.

The service was suspended for unauthorized use of Harvard servers, but it’s popularity was quickly beyond the ability of the university to control.

Zuck continued to code and look for ways to improve the service as the platform grew rapidly.

“The Hacker Way is an approach to building that involves continuous improvement and iteration. Hackers believe that something can always be better, and that nothing is ever complete. . . There’s a hacker mantra that you’ll hear a lot around Facebook offices: ‘Code wins arguments.’ ” 

–Mark Zuckerberg

Zuckerberg is the company’s first hacker, and remains the company’s chief hacker, leading from the front by example. As the builder of the company and the first employee, he had to do it all, just like most owners of startups and small businesses must do.

Finally, hire according to your culture and identify leaders to take your place. Growing means constantly replacing yourself with people who can do jobs you once did.

How to lead from the front by example

There are countless other examples of entrepreneurs who lead from the front by example. Here are some often overlooked ways to lead from the front by example.

• Share sacrifice and hardship. If you are to big to do the small things, you are too small to do the big things. Imagine walking on the property of the business and you see trash on the ground. Are you willing to stop to pick it up, or will you give an order to, “have someone pick this up”?
• Have a bias for action. When you see a problem, YOU are the first to act. Not spending excessive time contemplating, but taking thoughtful action.

What else?

The book 99 Questions to ask BEFORE starting a business in the US gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from two industry experts about the different aspects of starting, operating, financing, and marketing a new business in the USA. It is also a primer on visa options for those who seek to migrate to the US through a qualifying investment. The book 99 questions is available on Amazon and through Balboa Press. 

And finally…

Welcome to One Click Advisor! We would be remiss if we didn’t give you a brief tour of the site and what it can do for you, as an owner of a startup or small business. Your challenges and opportunities can be sorted into one of three areas.

Marketing, because it brings in the customers. That requires the right combination of price, product, promotion and place. 

Operations, because it keeps your customers. A well-run business pleases customers and generates steady and reliable revenue. But to be well-run, you need reliable providers. 

Finance, because it is the scoreboard, and keeps everybody paid. Change the “score”, find bookkeeping help, and find capital. 

The One Click Advisor Business Builder connects you with all the fundamentals. Skip the hours of research and costly mistakes…we have done the work of locating the best small business services for you.