IT TAKES

What is a Human Foundation®?

No, it’s not made of cement.

It’s made of PEOPLE.

A Human Foundation is the strong foundation you create with the people with whom you are going to partner. It is a strategy, like all other strategies in your business. It is also a choice; excellence in anything always is. And it is both the preventive and the antidote to Partnersh*t.

Think about it:

You pay attention to your brand strategy; your marketing strategy; your financial strategy; your sales strategy; your technology strategy. What about your people strategy? Most partners give about as much thought to building a healthy partnership as they do to grabbing a Starbucks. Maybe less.

You can’t build a strong partnership on a weak foundation.

People are everything to a business and a partnership. Without people, nothing exists. Of course you know this on some level, but do you make people a priority or are you more worried about your computer crashing? Thought so.

You must build your Human Foundation before you build your business.

Would you go out and rent an apartment with someone you just had one or two dates with? Yet partners do this all the time. Don’t.

Before you lease space or equipment or start looking for customers, look at yourselves first. This is the Real Beginning, the place from which a partner biz must start.

Building your Human Foundation will be the most important thing you do.

Roll over each step to discover more

  • CHARACTERIZATION
    You Must Define who you are, first and foremost.
    • Become conscious about how you’re wired, what motivates you, what stops you, your energy imprint, your personal goals and desires, thoughts, values, ideals and the viewfinder through which you see the world.
  • COLLABORATION
    You Must Uncover your partnership potential.
    • This includes skills, talents, weaknesses, expectations, determination, and ambitions.
  • COMMUNICATION
    You Must State your case.
    • Are you the loudest person in the room or quiet as a mouse? Are you verbal or non? What is your character, temperament, threshold, coping ability? How do you see yourself? Do others agree?
  • COMPENSATION
    You Must Ask for what you want.
    • Be clear about exactly what you are looking for in both the partnership and the business. What will you bring to it and what will you take? Compensation comes in many forms other than dollars. Declare what you need for your lifestyle, work style, rewards and eventual exit.
  • CONTRIBUTION
    You Must Be community-minded and supportive.
    • This is an area that can do great harm to a partnership if there is no alignment. Uncover the reasons why you are or are not willing to be in contribution. Knowing this about yourself will serve you in all areas. Giving gets.
  • CONSTRUCTION
    You Must Build your business.
    • Construction requires tangible, strategic, thoughts and ideas so you can set goals, outcomes and measurement criteria. Once done, you’ll have what you need to begin creating in the next step plus write your business, branding and marketing plans.
  • CREATION
    You Must Create!
    • Create your business by defining key areas: Value Propositions; Customer Segments; Customer Relationships; Key Partners; Key Activities, Key Resources; Channels; Revenue Streams; Cost Structure. You will also create your brand and marketing strategies.
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