What aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from the Philadelphia 76ers
Stay the course
Loyalty amidst struggling is a feat. As if watching an all-time bad squad is difficult enough, captaining your own failing business must deflate morale.
Campbell’s second stage caught my eye; she writes, “you will want to give up prematurely.”
There were numerous stages among the “process” where the Sixers (and their fans) could’ve given up. As if injuries weren’t rough enough, sometimes the literal location of a player caused reason for doubt.
In 2015, the Sixers traded then young star Michael Carter-Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks. Carter-Williams seemed to be one of the few glimmers of light on the Sixers roster with a potential to survive and thrive on a future competitive Sixers squad.
When such a valuable piece is shipped away for a future first-round pick, it’s obvious the team is prioritizing future success in lieu of current wins. This could be a reason to lose faith.
Sixers fans were teased with Carter-Williams; his early success was nothing but a trade sweetener in the end: a mirage.
As an entrepreneur, your actual path to success may differ from the path you assumed early on. Just as Carter-Williams (an early stud) shockingly didn’t survive the cut for the Sixers championship plan, your early contacts as an entrepreneur may not be the ones who open your door to success. Patience is key.
Patience took to another continent for Sixer fans when the Dario Saric sweepstakes reached full-steam. There was speculation that Saric, who was traded from the Orlando Magic to the Sixers during the 2014 draft, may never come over to the United States and play in the NBA.
Thankfully, the Croatian forward chose to come over, and he is sorely missed in Philadelphia. Nonetheless, it required patience to see an early cog in the Sixers breakthrough stay overseas for two full seasons before his draft selection.
In the age of vast information and services at our will-call, the Sixers and young entrepreneurs both need to exhibit patience. Both parties need to know that your next big asset could be anywhere.