Taking a New Approach to Building Your Business

An Army of Entrepreneurs (AOE), in essence, is an internal force of loyal and committed employees. It is also a structure and a mindset that will help a business grow well beyond its founder or CEO.

Well-know management expert Jennifer Prosek first implemented an AOE at her communications firm. She had hoped to empower every member of the company to use their own resources in order to help the business succeed.

The foundational idea that Prosek offered was based mostly on individual contribution. Each person was encouraged to develop an owner's mindset, which would help employees make better choices in the long run--the kind that would benefit both the individual and the company.

A large part of the AOE program is to create opportunities for employees to make more money, either by taking on new responsibilities or earning a commission. The author calls this incentive the Commission for Life program.

Under this program, any employee who sets up a successful new business meeting receives 5 percent of the revenue from the account for the life of the business as long as the employee remains with the firm. This simple incentive works because it encourages employees to align their own professional and financial goals with the company's growth and success.

In short, if an employee helps the company expand, they will see a direct and substantial benefit. Adding a cash commission may not be possible in all business situations, but the ultimate idea behind Commission for Life is simple and can be implemented at any company: create an incentive that continues to give across an employee's career at the company, as well as aligns the employee's goals with the company's goals.

Prosek outlines some of the advantages that the Commission for Life can offer employees:

* It enables employees to earn money over and above base compensation.

* Anyone at any level can earn the reward; all they have to do is book the initial meeting.

* The task of business and idea generation is spread across the firm at all levels.

* Natural entrepreneurs who love the hunt for new business will be easily identified so that they can be cultivated and nurtured.

* It is contagious, and success feeds upon itself.

The AOE and Commission for Life programs do more than just bring in new clients and more revenue. They actually play into the health and well-being of the whole company.

In the case of the Prosek's communications and PR firm, the concept has inspired product ideas, process improvement, and innovation across the firm. When referencing the success of the programs in her own firm, Prosek states that "once people were invited into the Army, they began to deliver on many, many fronts in a quest to be a part of the organization and make their mark."

However, creating an AOE takes more than just setting up a commission or revenue-sharing program. It also requires a corporate culture that will tolerate and cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit.

Prosek lists the key foundational elements--authenticity, commitment to people, commitment to the business, and continuous effort--that will allow for the establishment of the kind of culture in which an Army of Entrepreneurs can grow and thrive.