Mercenary, Prince, Hitman: Attuning to the Entrepreneurial Mindset You’ll Need Most
October 13, 2024 • Lessons • Personal Growth ⌇ Connect ↗
I am increasingly bullish on the idea of a non-linear lateral approach to life. Why? Because it’s lighter on the mind and soul. It takes away the pressure because life isn’t a game to be won, but a game to keep playing. So here is a framework of mindsets I’ve developed over the past months with the goal to see my business, project, brand etc.:. flourish, regardless of what phase they find themselves in. Which is exactly the point. Being entrepreneur isn’t about doing everything right at the same time to the same degree. That’s a recipe for burnout, anxiety and depression. Being an entrepreneur is much more a game of switching operating protocols at the right time. So often so, the most needed protocol activates subconsciously when it’s needed most. The three entrepreneurial operating protocols I’ve discovered among good company are adopting the mindsets of a Mercenary, a Prince or a Hitman. You can’t be all at once, but you sure need to go all in on the one most required of you.
My hope is that understanding these three entrepreneurial operating protocols, will result in less second guessing and even fewer doubts in your life, as you choose the next best course of action for yourself, your business and the people you care for.
Mindsets: Mercenary <> Prince <> Hitman
For any framework to flourish, terms need to be defined, however vague they might seem at first. For the sake of this framework, let’s begin with an abstract frame of mind around “the thing”, which is just anything you are trying to make happen in your professional life. And “the thing” moves back and forth through three mindsets of operating protocols:
- Mercenary → executes relentlessly to achieve immediate success, by taking any paid work to keep things going.
- Prince → attracts and sustains ongoing success through the influence of being the known “go-to choice”.
- Hitman → seeks out increasingly challenging, higher-paying work to keep things interesting.
Now let’s get into the nitty gritty details of each.
When to be a Mercenary
A Mercenary is an entrepreneur focused on keeping the business afloat through relentless execution, often taking on any work that comes their way or creating the work by going out into the world to source it. This might mean working on a wide variety of projects—some small and low-budget, but crucial for maintaining cash flow and building experience. The Mercenary’s strength lies in adaptability and resilience. However their risk is getting stuck in a cycle of short-term thinking and burnout when adopting this mindset for too long.
Example: Imagine you are an entrepreneur who launches a creative digital agency and initially takes on any project to pay the bills, from creating websites for local businesses to designing logos for startups. Your goal is to keep the agency running, gain experience, and build a portfolio. Being a mercenary may result in working on small, low-budget projects that require quick turnaround but keep your agency afloat. This strategy is all about maintaining cash flow and surviving the early stages until you have the luxury of saying “no” to any job… Being a mercenary means rarely turning down work, even if it doesn’t align with your future vision for the agency.
Do’s
- Take on varied projects to build experience: Accept different types of work to learn what niches or industries the agency might specialize in later.
- Prioritize quick delivery: Execute as fast as possible to meet client needs and maintain a flow of projects.
- Network across industries: Use this time to make connections with a broad range of potential future clients and partners.
Don’ts
- Don’t overextend: Taking on too many projects at once can compromise the quality of your work and harm your reputation.
- Don’t neglect brand-building: While surviving is crucial, keep an eye on how your agency is perceived and begin to lay the groundwork for future positioning.
- Don’t undervalue your work: Resist the urge to price too low just to win projects—this can harm your business’s sustainability in the long run.
When to be a Prince
A Prince is an entrepreneur who attracts and sustains ongoing success through their reputation as the “go-to choice” in their field. This means they have built a strong personal or brand identity that draws clients to them without needing to chase every opportunity. Their influence from past successes has laid the foundation for a steady flow of work, often resulting in inbound referrals or repeat clients. The Prince’s strength lies in their ability to leverage their reputation and relationships to maintain stability and growth. However, the risk is becoming complacent and relying too heavily on accumulated status, which eventually won’t be enough to stay competitive in an evolving market.
Example: Imagine that after years of hard work, your creative digital agency is now well-known in the industry for delivering excellent work in a particular niche, such as branding for tech startups. Clients come to you because you have become the trusted expert in this space, and your name is often recommended by others. You no longer need to hustle for every job—clients seek you out because of your consistent track record and established reputation. As the Prince, your focus is on maintaining your status, cultivating strong relationships, and continuing to deliver top-tier work that reinforces your position as the “go-to choice”… Being a Prince means you must ensure that you don’t fall behind by relying solely on your past success.
Do’s
- Leverage your reputation: Build on the trust and credibility you’ve earned by maintaining high-quality work and strong relationships with clients.
- Focus on repeat clients: Cultivate long-term relationships that keep clients coming back, reducing the need to constantly search for new business.
- Expand your influence: Use your standing as the go-to expert to network, collaborate, and increase your visibility in the industry.
Don’ts
- Don’t become complacent: Avoid relying too heavily on your status—continue to innovate and improve your services to stay relevant.
- Don’t take success for granted: While clients may seek you out, always be proactive in ensuring their needs are met and their expectations exceeded.
- Don’t ignore competition: Just because you’re the go-to choice now doesn’t mean competitors won’t rise—keep an eye out.
When to be a Hitman
A Hitman is an entrepreneur who seeks out increasingly challenging, higher-paying work to keep growing. This means pursuing complex, high-stakes projects that push the boundaries of your skills and capabilities. Unlike the Mercenary who is driven by survival or the Prince who relies on reputation, the Hitman is driven by the thrill of the challenge and the desire for growth. They thrive on solving difficult problems and tackling ambitious projects, often working with cutting-edge technologies or handling special client requests. The Hitman’s strength lies in the ability to adapt to complexity and deliver results under pressure. However, the risk is taking on projects that may be too risky or demanding, leading to potential failure, burnout, or strained resources.
Example: Imagine your creative digital agency has reached a point where you no longer need to accept just any project to stay afloat, and your reputation is well-established. Now, you seek out the toughest, most complex projects in the industry—ones that challenge your team and demand innovative solutions. You might take on a high-profile rebranding for a major corporation or handle a groundbreaking digital campaign for a new tech company or even launch a new product on your own. As a Hitman, you’re focused on high-reward, high-difficulty jobs that keep you and your team engaged… Being a Hitman means working outside your team’s capacity, which can harm your reputation in the long run.
Do’s
- Seek out challenging, high-reward projects: Focus on work that stretches your capabilities and allows for creative and technical growth.
- Push boundaries: Use each project as an opportunity to innovate and showcase your ability to tackle complex problems.
- Foster a reputation for handling high-stakes work: Position yourself as the expert for ambitious clients who need top-tier solutions.
Don’ts
- Don’t overcommit to risky projects: Make sure the projects you take on are within your capacity to execute successfully.
- Don’t sacrifice stability for excitement: While pursuing tough challenges, ensure your agency maintains a balance of steady, reliable work.
- Don’t forget about team well-being: High-pressure projects can lead to burnout—make sure your team has the resources and support they need to perform without overwhelming stress.
Oscillate between operating protocols
It might seem like you the model is linear, but that would only produce dangers, hence making a fluid lateral movement to and from each entrepreneurial operating protocol most natural. The second you get comfortable in one of each is when you are in danger of running your ship into shallow waters, and scraping the hull, hopefully not as far as to sink the ship — which is the point of this framework: to reflect and analyse what “the thing” you are building needs most right now. Is it being a Mercenary, despite being well established? Is it being a Prince, even though you might not feel ready for the influence yet or is it being a Hitman, even though your projects have only been low-paying jobs for the longest time. The model can guide you, if you let it.
My call to you is simple. Adjust your operating protocol by assessing what operating protocol is required. You can do this very easily, by asking yourself this simple question: How will focusing on survival, building your reputation, or seeking challenges affect your business growth? The answer will be to step into the shoes and assume the role of a Mercenary, Prince or Hitman.
I wish you all the best of luck and godspeed with this.
Closing thoughts
This article was seeded in a beer garden called Stöckl im Park on a hot, sunny summer day in 2024. I was blessed to hold the company of a close friend Amir A. Karim and a new acquaintance Nico Deblauwe. It was one of those rare 5 hour long evenings filled with optimistic ideas to find a better way forward in our careers and personal lives. The foundation for this framework was stumbled upon together, so the credit goes to all of us, however different each of our understandings were in the moment. The core idea, I believe is still of the same spirit: a lateral framework worth sharing with a world where linear ideas win for no good reason at all. That’s where applying the Mercenary <> Prince <> Hitman framework derives its cause.
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Until next time.
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