Posted by Theresa Bradley-Banta
Entrepreneurs… do you have a resume?
A bio?
A statement of experience and expertise in your given fields?
Why not?
If you are making deals and actively “being an entrepreneur”, you will need to present your resume of expertise to any number of people.
Lenders will ask for it.
Potential partners and investors will want to see it.
The information should be on your website and all other social media sites in which you participate — and it should be consistent and current.
You should be prepared to present this information for any public speaking engagements.
This is the front line information for establishing yourself as an expert in your field(s).
Here’s a tip.
Your resume does not need to look like the typical resume you would use when applying for a W2 job… in fact, it shouldn’t. Resumes are for job hunting. A professional statement of entrepreneurial experience is a profile of who you are as an entrepreneur. You’re not looking for a job… you’re looking to be in the game. By stating your qualifications and expertise in your field or industry you are positioning yourself hands above your competition.
It can be a simple “Statement of Experience” or “Summary of Skills” and should include not only your personal expertise and experience but can, and should, include those of your team members.
Think in terms of what a banker, lender, investor or partner may want to know about you before going into business with you or lending you money for a particular deal.
What makes you the person to invest in on a given deal?
For example, let’s say you are buying a large commercial property.
The lender will want to know about your previous commercial real estate experience. They will want to know who your property management team is. They will be looking for skills such as previous acquisitions and management of real estate. If you are looking to reposition or renovate the property, the lender will want to see your record with the same type of deal.
And, if you do not have the hands on experience, they will want to know that you have the team members on board who can deliver a successful deal.
It’s not enough to say, “I’ve never done this before.”
Nor should you be expected to have experience in every aspect of your business. This is where your leadership skills and having the right team come in. If you are light on experience, you had better be prepared to say,
“I haven’t done this personally, but this member of my team has.”
I recently spoke with a woman who not only said she had no experience; she actually followed the comment up with a giggle. This was pretty high up on the unbelievable scale.
Be prepared. Get the bones of your resume down. Spend time on it. It speaks for you when you are not there. You can tweak it for a particular deal later. In any market, in any economy, you should be prepared to present on what makes you an expert and be prepared to do so on short notice.
Why not begin compiling a statement today?
Theresa Bradley-Banta, co-creator of www.bigfishtopdogs.com, is a musician, award winning graphic artist, blogger, mentor, and owner of multiple businesses. You can follow her on twitter @bigfishtopdogs.
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