The way to development and entrepreneurial success is set and changing.  Imagine there´s a train carrying people, enterprises and even countries to that destination.  There are only two roles we can adopt: to be passengers on that train, or just to be observers and watch the train passing in front of us.  Which role would you like to play?  It is also like taking part in a theater play as part of the cast or just buying a ticket to see the show.  In both cases we would be passive spectators, paying or not, contributing to somebody else´s success.  Which role would Mexico like to play?

            Mexico has advanced in its efforts for entrepreneurship and has a great potential for a more active role in the global market.  However, it is moving slower than other countries.  There´s creativity and innovation potential, but it is necessary to help it grow to have more and better entrepreneurs.  As a country with a large young population, the potential is evident and has the possibility of a position in the future.  

Although everybody has an innovation potential, young people are dynamic and have new mental models, sharing experiences through social nets and traveling, which could lead them to create new business models.  However, Mexico is not generating answers while others are, with the risk of becoming technology consumers instead of generating it.  We have to be problem solvers and not a market for the solvers, boarding the train instead of just watching it pass by. 

            There are some barriers to fight in Mexico for helping more people become entrepreneurs, such as the existing individualism among business units and the lack of a global strategy, as well as a weak (or absent in some places) link between the Government, the business world and education institutions. Efforts are discontinuous because of political aspects, a weak entrepreneurial culture or rigid positions in business units, as well as a short term vision.  It is essential to understand the need for investing in developing human capital in its three categories: intellectual, structural and relational. 

            It is important to educate both the entrepreneur and the business owner as well as supporting spin offs, especially those involved in already existing value chains and tractor enterprises.  The driver must be the market, so it is time for the business owner to sit on the customer’s side to understand him and take immediate action.  The change will be possible if we try to change what we can change, believing in the entrepreneurial potential in Mexico and creating sustainable business units, based in values.

Mexico is ready for entrepreneurship. It is time for taking part of the theater play instead of just buying the ticket to watch the show.

Do you know a kid with problems in math, for example?  When there is a problem like this, after blaming the professor, the system or the kid himself, the next step is usually sending him or her to extra classes.  This could be wrong if you don´t identify the causes of such a problem, which could be basically that the kid sees no relation between math and his world.  Why to study math? If the only reward for having a good grade in this subject is just the score, the problem is motivation more than capability.  And if the kid is capable but not motivated and the parents send him to extra classes on Saturday, for example, it is probable that the problems persist and worsen because he will even hate mats because he´s got to study in his free time.  On the other hand, when there’s a connection between the subject and the kid´s interest, there will be a better performance in this subject. 

            The key element is meaning!.  For the team members it is not just to know that they have to work in a project, but why to do it.  For investors it is also understanding why it is important to place their money in your idea, but the most important is why it could be important to the client, because if there´s nothing different in comparison to other products or projects, your idea will not be supported and will eventually disappear. 

            It is not what you think of your project but what your client thinks about it, which pains it relieves and the benefits from acquiring it.  There must be a connection between what the client expects for solving a problem or eliminating a pain, and in that sense there will be a meaning which will be transformed in a perception of value, with more probability for project success.  There could be other projects fulfilling the client´s needs and expectations, but if yours does not make a connection with the client, there won´t be a meaning and a reason to buy.

            Once you know what your product is, who your clients are, which benefits it offers and which pains it eliminates, now it is essential to communicate that to your market and set up a connection.  Preparing an elevator pitch will be vital for your project survive, in which you clearly communicate all this to your potential clients, creating the opportunity for building value.  However, although preparing a pitch is important for selling, it is also a self-reflection exercise for you and your team because when you are thinking how to make things better, you become the first to criticize your work.  This is also a way for establishing a meaning between what you do and why you and your workers do it, discovering new trends and learning how to discover. 

This is part of what we do at the Bootcamp 2012, where attendants discover, learn to discover and go ahead from designing to action. What are you waiting for to participate?