A New Definition of Lean Startup

Like many entrepreneurs, coming up with great ideas happens too often.  And the great idea of getting back in shape to become a better entrepreneur was not only was a great idea, but one that seemed like it wouldn’t be too difficult to achieve.  But like many other great startup ideas, this one was deceptively hard.  Execution is everything, right?

Today, Micah Lacerte of Hitch Fit showed how hard it can be to execute my whole new definition of LEAN STARTUP—or more fittingly, LEAN ENTREPRENEUR (yes, pun intended)!  In this case, what he had in store for me was a very conveniently placed hill nearby his facility. It looked fairly innocuous, but when you run backwards up the cobblestone street...it really is pretty tough. In fact, it really inflicted some torture on my legs. It’s amazing, that like many other great skills in life, something that looks deceptively easy, when done properly to achieve results, can actually be very, very hard.

Unfortunately, these results might be sometime in the future, but hopefully not too distant future to keep me a believer. As I venture into my fitness challenge, I realize the value of not only expertise, but advice. Micah has the ability to explain to me why I am doing what I am doing, not just telling me what to do.  He caters to my deeply-rooted belief system of “teach me how to fish”.

Perhaps I’m just wired this way, but if I can understand why I’m doing something, I buy into it even more and it helps me understand what needs to be done in order to be successful. Hmmmm...this sounds a bit like entrepreneurship and starting a company.

A combination of hills, weights, other cardio exercise and other things that are deceptively simple looking, when used properly under the skill and care of a good advisor and coach, makes a world of difference.  I am confident that these activities will produce the results that I could not achieve on my own.

So even though I should thank Eric Ries for the lean startup concept (and I do embrace it), my lean entrepreneur mentality has a different spin to the definition of lean startup. The “startup” for me (in this case) is getting back in shape and certainly getting lean.

Stay tuned next week to see exactly how my Hitch Fit training is going and to see if the value of advice and expertise is beginning to pay off. And by the way...this week I can actually lift my arms above my head as I leave today’s workout. But just barely! 

My Entrepreneur Fitness Journey Continues! Ruckus: Check. Next Up? HitchFit.

Last Saturday, May 5^th, I traveled to St. Louis to participate in something called Ruckus. For the uninitiated, Ruckus is an obstacle course race designed to be able to challenge everyone from young kids to the most seasoned adult athletes.  Ruckus is all about sweat, mud and fun—and that’s exactly what I experienced under a sunny day in STL last weekend.  With 1100 of my new best (but very muddy) friends, I was able to take my first step towards achieving a fitness goal—and I used the Ruckus obstacle course race as the initial test.

While running the two-mile “Heater”, I learned a lot of things about myself.  While I was mentally up for the challenge, I had a long way to go physically. As an entrepreneur, I really do like instant gratification. Unfortunately, the world of startups is anything but that. The Ruckus race would prove to be another delayed gratification drill.

While I was able to finish with a respectable time, I found that I wanted to do better. Perhaps it was the 90+ degree heat. Perhaps it was the intense sun beating down on me for my 12:40PM start time. Whatever it was, one thing is for sure: I was not in the shape that I wish that I had been in. While I was in better shape than I was 30-45 days ago, I was still a long way from my ultimate goal. 

I’m an entrepreneur; I like goals. But this fitness goal was still yet to be achieved in my mind. With that, I’m excited to embark on my next entrepreneur fitness journey and still encourage others to do the same by starting HitchFit. HitchFit is the brain child of fitness and body-building experts Micah Lacerte and Diana Chaloux, who are very dedicated trainers and are really trying to make a difference in the fitness world for average people like you and me. While they may appear anything but average, their personalities, humility, and graciousness to be able to help people like myself far exceeds what I really deserve from somebody like them, with their credentials.

So, here I go again.  It’s time for me to continue on in my entrepreneurial fitness journey.  By starting HitchFit next week, I hope to get one step closer toward my fitness goal to be more fit and ultimately become a better leader, business decision maker, husband, father, and friend to others.  At the same time, I hope to start feeling better about my healthy lifestyle choices. 

I hope that this information serves as inspiration to all of you entrepreneurs out there trying to change your fitness regimen.  What do ya say?  Why not turn off the iPhone, step away from the computer and get exercising?  What steps are you taking to get in shape and turn your lifestyle around?  Stay tuned for more. 

Follow me! @thinkbigKC 

What Triggers My Workout Plan? Hope!

I need to make time for the gym!

Life on the entrepreneurial road...sometimes less traveled, often less exercised.

Being an entrepreneur means a lot of things. Between goals, deadlines, stresses of building your company, managing employees and finding some type of work-life balance, it often means hitting the road to attend meetings and conferences.

I recently attended InvestMidwest in St Louis. This is a great event for entrepreneurs, startup companies, service providers, community leaders and investors, all hoping to connect.

The downfall of being on the road is that exercise seems to be sacrificed in the name of big business dinners, cocktail-driven networking meetings and late-night hotel office time.

I am on day 9 of my April Fool's fitness revelation/realization, also known as the Think Big Fitness Challenge. The realization was that I am out of shape, like many other startup entrepreneurs that forget to make time for the gym.

Hmmm..haven't found time for the gym yet. Not good.

I need to rethink my workout strategy of hope and start thinking in terms of a workout plan.

I need to remove the mental obstacles and find a way to accomplish my goal. And finish on top.

Stay tuned. 

Follow me on Twitter! @ThinkBigKC

It's No Joke: How This Entrepreneur Plans to Lead a Healthy Lifestyle with Help from Ruckus

As an entrepreneur, I only know two speeds:  stop and go.


Unfortunately, one of the things I stopped when I started building my latest dream and venture, Think Big Partners, was exercising on a regular basis.  Regular exercise, I know, is a good thing.  But it's the one thing that I've always seemed to put at the very bottom of my list.


But can you blame me? Between countless meetings, gaining new customers, playing with new ideas, and spending time with my family, exercise just hasn't fit into my everyday routine.  And with that, I've quite frankly been a fool.


So, with that in mind, I am going to take the month of April, on April Fool's Day, to admit that I've been a fool when it comes to fitness.  I am going to take on a brand new attitude toward exercise and start getting back into shape.


I know that many other entrepreneurs are in the same boat.  They're passionate and committed to their dreams, but struggle finding time for exercise and engaging in a healthy lifestyle.  So, I'm challenging to join me in my next venture in building an exercise regimen that works for entrepreneurs just like me.


From April 1st until April 30th, I am going to beef up my exercise regimen in preparation for an event in St. Louis known as Ruckus.  For a little extra motivation and inspiration, I'm inviting my family as well as a few of my coworkers to join me in preparation for Ruckus on May 5th.  The Ruckus race will allow me to spend both time with my family and also spend time with myself exercising.  It's really the best of both worlds.


With that, I'm challenging other entrepreneurs to join me in the month of April to "startup your fitness". That means it's time to put yourself first and get committed to your exercise plan.


Don't be a foolish entrepreneur any longer.  It's time to think big, work out and join me in the start of a better entrepreneurial lifestyle.  Are you ready to Startup Your Fitness?