Posted: June 17, 2011

Small business ownership and entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart.

There is a plethora of writing on which practices small business owners should emulate and use in their day-to-day operations.

While the terminology may differ, the underlying philosophy and principles are all pretty much the same.

Recently I read an article on applying the principles and values practiced by the U.S. Navy's SEAL teams.

Of the seven core philosophical points, the most profound was the last one: "Make peace with constant chaos."

For a small business owner, truer words have never been written. Those who yearn for the uneventful sameness of day-to-day life simply do not have what it takes to master the challenges of small business ownership.

Every day is yet another adventure for small business owners and entrepreneurs, with unique challenges and opportunities ready to be mastered and exploited.

Just how does one achieve this?

The first step is to keep the big picture in mind but obsess over the details.

There is no detail too small to be overlooked.

The old adage of "for the want of a nail, the battle was lost" readily comes to mind.

The second step is to have a plan and then faithfully execute it. All too often, business plans are viewed as commodities rather than a process.

Thinking things through, testing assumptions, changing variables and developing different scenarios are all critical to the successful operation of a small business.

Mistakes made in planning are cheap; you just go back to the drawing board and rethink the process.

Mistakes made once the business is up and running usually prove to be either very expensive or, in the worst case, fatal.

The third step is to understand that small business owners need outside assistance.

They cannot accomplish everything that needs to be done on a daily basis.

A SEAL team is a collection of uniquely qualified individuals, each contributing a particular expertise to the team's overall capabilities.

The services of a strong management team consisting of an accountant, an attorney, a banker, an insurance agent, a marketing pro and an outside business adviser are critical to uncovering issues that might have been overlooked by the owner, and they help accomplish the myriad of "administrivia" needed to keep the business in operation.

Finally, develop the necessary mindset.

Just as SEALS undergo a rigorous training program designed to identify those who cannot handle the pressure - physical, mental and psychological - prospective small business owners should do something similar.

The rigors of BUDS - Basic Underwater Demolition School - and "Hell Week" serve as the ultimate challenge to candidates who wish to enter this elite organization.

In the business arena, there are many training programs designed to help aspiring small business owners understand the many challenges that will soon have to be addressed.

While not as demanding, successfully completing them will greatly enhance chances for success in the marketplace.

The core principles highlighted in the SEAL article were:

* Take decisive action.

* Fear nothing.

* Seek excellence, not fame.

* Lock and load (be prepared).

* Leave no one behind (loyalty).

* Plan, but be prepared to pivot.

* Make peace with constant chaos.

Words to live by.

Jim Carroll is the vice president of small business for the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Hampton Roads Small Business Development Center. He can be reached at 664-2595 or www.hrsbdc.org.