Beat the bull, the key to success in business

Trevor Baylis OBE inventor of the wind-up radio

Business success is about vision. When I patented my Freeplay clockwork radio in 1991, I went to every company I could think of to try to get the radio manufactured. However they all turned me down, because it was simply different from anything they\'d seen before. They lacked the vision to see a whole new market for radios amongst the poor of Africa.

Often these businessmen masked their lack of vision with technical jargon. For three years I received letters telling me my design didn\'t work, or wasn\'t possible to manufacture due to reasons as varied as torque, to gearing, to market demography, despite the fact I had a working version I\'d built in my shed!

Today, 13 years on, I am instead faced with salesmen and consultants who lack the vision to understand my needs. Everyday I am pigeon holed and presented with generic solutions that don\'t suit me. Double glazing is offered to me with shock resistant, UV-resistant PVCu, computers don\'t just work, they are laden with multiple USBs, flash RAM and PCMCIA slots.

What these salespeople should learn is that instead of starting by changing the product, they should immerse themselves in customer understanding. And that begins by listening, rather than just selling. My radio was a success because I had the vision to see an entire population without access to batteries or mains electricity, who nevertheless wanted access to radio, a medium that connects communities to the modern world.

What I have learnt is that every so often you are lucky enough to meet someone who is able to share your vision and become your professional ally in helping you to succeed. In my case it was Nelson Mandela, who saw the promise in my design and helped me establish a factory in Cape Town to manufacture my radios, helping to kick-start my commercial success.

Now I\'m not suggesting you all ring up international statesmen, but no matter where you might be in your career, ensure that you have suppliers you can rely upon, be they parts manufacturers or internet service providers. And don\'t just assume they understand you, actively share your vision with them and ensure they are working to the same agenda.

If I can pass on just three lessons for business success they would be:

      1. Believe in the inherent worth of your offering

      2. Ignore the business bull and always follow your heart

      3. Choose your professional allies carefully

I can\'t guarantee all your business relationships will run like clockwork, but certainly don\'t let your suppliers wind you up with needless jargon.

Trevor Baylis, July 2004

Trevor Baylis is supporting Viatel\'s summer \'Cut the Bull\' campaign to dispel jargon in the IT and telecoms industry.www.viatel.com

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