Manizesto

Small business owners can learn some things by being more like Ralph Nader. How?

Well, surprising news from the Presidential race came today with news that Nader is announcing his candidacy for President…again. It sure seems like an odd time for him to throw his hat into the ring, with the primaries well under way and most Americans feeling the race is down to four candidates (or three). 

Analysts will no doubt spend this whole week speculating as to why he decided to announce this now, but Nader has told reporters it’s because “candidates weren’t addressing to his satisfaction the ‘bloated, wasteful military budget,’ a tax on carbon emissions, government support for nuclear power or ‘all the corporate subsidies, giveaways, handouts and bailouts’”  (More here).

Whether or not you agree with Nader’s point of view or timing, entrepreneurs and small business owners can learn a thing or two from the now three-time Presidential candidate.

Lessons you can learn from Nader: 

1. Don’t be afraid to break the status quo. This is what makes Nader distinct among the other candidates. His entering the race when no one is talking about it means he’ll get a lot of press time and one on one attention that many other candidates didn’t get (and who’ve since dropped out).

2. If competitors drop the ball, pick it up. If you don’t like the way competitors are doing things or see a deficiency in their offerings, it’s an opportunity to own that niche. Nader is doing just that; and he’ll probably be building his platform around things he feels the other candidates are not sufficiently covering.

3. Have a reasonable goal. Nader has to know his chances to win the race are slim, but since his platform will revolve around issues he feels are important and yet unaddressed, that means the other leading candidates will be forced to address them, at least on some level. Nader’s goal is likely not to win, but to get important issues at the forefront of the race among all candidates.  

4. Don’t let petty constraints hinder you. Sure, Nader may not be able to raise $25 million per quarter and he may not be entering the race when most people think it’s the best time to do it, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be able to gain momentum quickly and have an impact on the ‘08 race. 

5. Failure happens. So what? Everyone has heard those pep talks about failure being part of the path to success, but actually living that creed is easier said than done. Nader does it. He’s already run for President twice and lost, but the world is different than it was 4 and 8 years ago. With proper adjustments and a new approach, success might be just around the corner. 

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Photo courtesy of NotionsCapital.