W
hen I say invest, I
mean time and mon-
ey. Investments equal
returns, or so we enter into them
with the intention of receiving
as a result of giving [something];
an exchange. One of the biggest
mistakes around any investment,
be it a literal financial invest-
ment, time spent, human capital,
etc., is that of not understanding
what the risk reward alignment
in measurement is. We’ll talk
both.
Tossing it out there so we’re on
the same page, this person being
a few types:
a) Someone who is authentically
earning an income
b) Someone who is dedicated,
consistent and in upgrade mode
c) Someone who is legitimate and
a contributor
Here’s the thing about people
investments: they’re just as risky
(if not more so) than the risk of
financial investments if unwisely
chosen. I don’t mean in money
loss, though in emotional un-
well if not careful. Emot ional
unwell equals loss of income (at
minimum - time, at maximum
- health), unless you can effec-
tively manage your mind. On the
flip side, healthy people invest-
ments can positively change your
whole world on a dime! Energy
is a force that accounts for more
abundance than can be quan-
tified. Prosperity is both parts
practical and magical.
Back to investments.
The most rewarding people and
financial investments (including
business) tend to stem from that
which has long term value and
diversified skill or dimension
attached. We invest in people,
we’re investing beyond the sur-
face ~ as it pertains to personal
and career. We invest for mutu-
ality, to effectively fill a gap in
supplement, or to complement
that, which already rocks.
On a people note when investing
for commonality and mutuality,
look to where there’s overlap in
exchange and to where there’s
similarity without identical
sameness that can create lever-
age. How to tell if commonality
exists in personal or business:
look to an individual’s core val-
ues and a business’ manifesto;
essentially (and similar to finan-
cial investments) their funda-
mentals. Same vibe, language,
audience, servitude for the great-
er good? If so, mutuality exists.
The major gift of mutuality with-
out ‘sameness’ is in that it births
leverage (a cash flow strategy not
to be dismissed). Leverage is like
the pulse to the lifeblood that is
cash flow. When it works both
ways, there is mutual exchange
(so long as any risk is equal on
both sides). The same can be said
for margining your investments
in hope the exchange in positive
return exists long term. Margin
equals risk (borrowing from Peter
to pay Paul, leveraging one’s
potential upside, trading risk,
based on solid fundamentals ~
think: mutuality and common-
ality) all in the name of trying to
supplement another area.
Back to people investments, and
since we are entrepreneurs, let’s
talk people and business. The
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