Entrepreneurs do whatever it takes to advance the cause for growth of their companies. Those who create success work hard, take risks, and do things that other people may never think about in order to make things happen. Creativity is key to connecting all the dots necessary to be a disrupter and a maker all at the same time.
One person I know bought a fake plane ticket to be able to network with a key person they needed to meet. While at an industry conference in Dallas they saw a speaker who was paramount to the future success of their business. This person was a little famous and had immense influence that could have a direct impact on the entrepreneur's future business. My friend knew that approaching this person after their talk was futile. Too many people would rush the stage and a few minutes of "Great Speech" chit chat would be all they could accomplish.
Our hero in this story decided he needed to take a chance to get more time with the speaker than just a handshake and a business card exchange. The speaker had mentioned heading home later in the day and my friend began to wonder how to capitalize on this knowledge. He thought about this person getting to the airport and having nearly an hour of waiting for their plane. It would be an ideal opportunity to have a meaningful conversation, however Dallas is a big city with two airports, so he needed to think about the possibilities.
He went on his phone and looked at all the flight options the speaker could have to get home that day. There were several choices, but he made some educated guesses about the speaker and decided that one of two American Airlines flights were the most logical. He bought the cheapest ticket he could from Dallas to anywhere (one-way to Oklahoma City, although where did not matter as he was never gong to fly, he just needed a way to get through security) and left the conference before the speaker finished their remarks.
Once inside the airport he waited by the gate. He eventually thought he had wasted his time when suddenly he saw the person he desired to meet. He casually approached and introduced himself, commenting on the wonderful presentation at the conference earlier in the day. The discussion lasted for 40 minutes and ended with an exchange of emails, personal cell numbers, and a promise to talk more about the industry topics they had in common.
After the speaker boarded their plane, this entrepreneur returned to his car and drove home from Dallas to Austin.
In my opinion the odds of this scenario working out so well were slim, and thus most people would never attempt such a costly and time consuming stunt. But successful entrepreneurs go the extra mile and do not think about the failure options. Instead they visualize the success and then do whatever it takes to make that happen.
What will you do today that goes beyond the "norm" that can advance your success?
Have A Great Day
thom singer
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