Entrepreneur Time – like working in The Matrix without the cool coats

What? You're saying it couldn't happen?

Lately I’ve been taking a bit of a breather from consulting for entrepreneurs. It’s been nice. Very little stress. Dreams filled with rainbows and puppy dogs. Each morning birds chirped as they helped me dress.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t that Disney. But it was nice.

Until last week.

Last week I helped an entrepreneur launching a new product. His product is already in the market, but not much of the foundational, strategic marketing work has been done. They didn’t yet have a clear understanding of the product category or consumer.

This is not the surprising part. Right or wrong, startups frequently launch the product first, then back their way into the product strategy.

(That thud you just heard was every corporate marketing person reading this falling off their chair.)

What was surprising was how quickly I’d forgotten about the entrepreneur time vortex.

It’s a real thing, I swear. Entrepreneurs all know it. Anyone who’s worked in a startup understands it. And if you’re thinking about working for an entrepreneur you’re going to have to learn about it.

Startups run on Standard Entrepreneur Time. 

Let's meet when the third big hand reaches twenty-two.

Don’t confuse Standard Entrepreneur Time (SET) with a conventional time zone. You can’t set your watch by Standard Entrepreneur Time. If you work for an entrepreneur, you set your life by Standard Entrepreneur Time.

Think of it kinda like The Matrix. Once you enter, you’re in a whole new dimension where the concept of time is relative.

Relative to whatever project you’re working on.

Want an example?

One morning you’ll be kicking yourself because you’re starving and forgot to stop for an egg mc-whatever on the way to work, then miraculously you don’t even think about food again until you’re walking back out the door. At which time you realize that the sun set hours ago, and the Mc-Drive thrus are all locked up for the night.

That’s Standard Entrepreneur Time. It can make you hungry.

Pull that Rabbit From Here

Uh, you want me to do what with this rabbit?

Standard Entrepreneur Time also warps the perception of things. As in, how much time it takes to get things done.

That’s the SET warp I entered last week with my entrepreneur client.

After finishing our project, my entrepreneur asked if I would consider consulting one day a week. With pen in hand I asked him to describe the types of projects he needed help with during these eight hours.

“I would like you to develop the brand strategy and positioning. Figure out what product line extensions we need and develop those. We need our label redesigned, which will require a consumer communication strategy. Oh, and we need a website and…”

I had stopped writing. We were in Standard Entrepreneur Time.

His list would take one day a week from now until next Easter. And I can assure you, that was not his deadline.

That’s Standard Entrepreneur Time. It can make you crazy.

Get N’Sync

Yes, I cudda used a pic of Sean Parker. But wouldn't you rather see JT?

There are even variations of Standard Entrepreneur Time that differ by entrepreneur, much like Eastern Standard Time and whatever they call that time they use in Colorado.

Entrepreneur-a-go-go Sean Parker (you know, JT in Social Network) has claimed one of those time zones. Silicon Valley insiders use S.ean P.arker T.ime when setting meetings with the busy entrepreneur.

But the chronically time-challenged Parker is not being disrespectful when he show up three hours late for meetings. And he’s not being obtuse when he says things like “I actually couldn’t honestly tell you whether we’ve been here for two hours or 20 minutes.” As he did in a recent Forbes interview.

Parker’s internal clock is simply a little off because he is a busy entrepreneur living in Standard Entrepreneur Time. In that Forbes interview we learn that it is not uncommon for Parker to go to bed at 7 a.m. and start his day again at 11. That’s 11 a.m. Four hours later.

That’s Standard Entrepreneur Time. It can make you tired.

Let’s Get it Started

So how do you deal with Standard Entrepreneur Time if you work for a startup? The best answer to any question is always the most obvious one. And this is no different.

The most obvious answer to how to deal with SET was obviously given to us in the 80’s, by rapper MC Hammer.

Hammer, who famously created his own time, wisely told us to “either work hard or you might as well quit.”

Yup, that’s the answer. Nope, didn’t make that up; them’s the lyrics to Hammer Time. This semi-successful rapper knows what he’s talking about. Hammer Time is right in the middle of Sean Parker Time and Standard Entrepreneur Time.

Check it out for yourself above. Then, “break it down.”

Then, get back to work. If you’re living in Standare Entrepreneur Time,  I can guarantee that you don’t have time to just sit there.

Do you have any examples of the time suck vortex that is Standard Entrepreneur Time?