Friday, January 25, 2013

Money or Mission?



It is not surprising that there are many entrepreneurs around the world today. There are so many ideas for products and services and with the advancement of technology individuals stand to make a lot of money if they have good strategies. As professionals we just have to keep in mind that even the most well executed strategy can fail.

There was an article on Forbes.com written by Erica Swallow about a topic I recently had with some of my team members. The article "Are start up employees motivated by money", makes people think about the real reasons that drive team members in New Business Start-ups.

Money is a very important factor and we all love it; however businesses in the early stages of development may have little or limited finances. Swallow goes to explain that employees for start-ups may be motivated by sense of purpose and mission. It is exciting that you are apart of creating something that may take the world by storm. Swallow also goes to say that most employees in start ups do not have six figure bank accounts. So what truly drives them? I still believe that money is the main motivator.


 Akutagawa International is a firm that offers low cost business services in areas such as Marketing, Commercial Real-State, Investments, Advertising, International Business, and more. As professionals we came together to provide quality services for all businesses around the world at substantially low rates. We all have experience in our fields and we extend our resources to our clients; however Akutagawa International has a few junior staff members that are not established in their fields. So, even though the executives have a steady income from our primary jobs the junior staff are still a little wet behind the ears. They also want to make enough money to be financially stable with the changing economies.

Junior staff seem to get excited over new projects especially when I decide I do not want a lot of people knowing what's going on in the beginning. I choose several new things, hand the work to a team, give a deadline, and then see what they have come up with. They may not be making millions of dollars now but you can believe in the back of their minds they are saying "If we can pull this off $$$$". Swallow also mentions how these employees are driven by praise and commendation. This is very gratifying but I also believe they are motivated by the money they stand to make if they do an excellent job.

Akutagawa International has made a decision to take on enterns from around the world. These individuals are driven by praise and commendation because they are still learning. they are either students in the various fields of business or graduates looking to gain some international business experience.

There is an Akutagawa Electronics junior team member that came to us about 6 months ago. This individual didn't have much experience or education under his belt but he did have a skill. I decided to give this guy a chance. I told him the basic things he needed to learn, paired him with our Chief Technology Officer, and then gave him a task. He worked hard on that task and at times tried to give up. I didn't let him. I eventually handed him a job that involved recovery of a system. He did about three hours of work and made $1,500. He was motivated in the beginning, ran into some trouble, kept at it and made a huge profit in the end. The money he received drove him to want to learn more. He has also assisted with the development of the Akutagawa Electronics marketing plan. He understands that he has a skill with computers, speaks four languages, and works with a firm that will help him succeed. We will nurture his gift. This opportunity stands to bring him MONEY! This is what is driving him right now.

Swallow's article is very true when saying employees are motived by more than just money. But I still believe it is the thought of the money they stand to make that drives them to be excited in Start-ups.

Visit Forbes.com to view Erica Swallows full article.

Remember to visit http://akutagawainternational.com to see how we can assist you with saving money in 2013. Followus on Twitter @AkutagawaUSA for special promotional offers

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