Last year saw start-ups like Zipline – who’s drones parachute blood and essential medicine to remote Rwandan cities – secure mega financing by pursuing their big dreams. Entrepreneur Hector Montalvo wants others to continue shooting for the stars throughout 2017, and warns business owners against overly practical and incremental thinking.
Mr. Montalvo, the Managing Director of Source Marketing Direct, is an industry-renowned public speaker – most recently speaking in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront to rising stars of South Africa’s sales and marketing industry. He believes that the ambitious ideas which naysayers dismiss are usually the ones that inspire true momentum, and make people want to run out and buy products, or sign up for a service.
His views are in stark contrast to those of other business leaders, who would argue that focusing on lots of smaller ideas, and cultivating them every day in a visual way would be a far more preferable route to success.
“Ignoring criticism has been a big part of my journey as a business owner and entrepreneur. There will always be people who don’t believe in you, your ideas, your decisions or your company. Don’t let them distract you and take your eye of the big prize,” declared Mr. Montalvo.
While his view seems largely idealistic and general at face value, Mr. Montalvo himself has had his fair share of struggles to overcome – both career-wise and personally. Source Marketing Direct, Mr. Montalvo’s business, focuses on face-to-face sales through event based marketing and business solicitations. He has always had a strong vision for his company, but admits that there were times when he faced tough decisions to keep his dream alive.
Mr. Montalvo’s critics will suggest being idealistic isn’t enough, and argue that leaders must also be pragmatic in their approach. While this may be true, a common ground between the two would make most sense, as it is important for business leaders to grasp the essence of a situation, and envision how it relates to the larger context or long-term goal.
The Managing Director of Source Marketing Direct was able to relocate to another country and become a market leader within his industry within 10 years. This is no mean feat, and Mr. Montalvo uses decisions made throughout his past as material for his public speaking engagements, as he believes other entrepreneurs will get value from them and realise the importance of their own actions when pursuing growth goals.
http://www.ownthegap.com/why-pursuing-big-ideas-is-killing-your-culture/
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