According to Gregory K. Ericksen in his book Entrepreneur of the Year Award: Insights From the Winner’s Circle, the first criteria the judges use to help them determine a winner is “leadership” and he devotes a chapter discussing what defines a good leader. For example, does the leader have a vision and are they passionate about what they do? Do they take risks, even in the face of uncertainty?
Ultimately, does the entrepreneur turn business vision into business reality? As the CEO of Outskirts Press, this is perhaps where I spend the majority of my time — turning a vision into a reality. This can be something small, like the conception of a new option that has to turn into a finalized service or product that meets our authors needs. Or it can be something larger like the conception of a new book that has to be written, re-written, edited, produced, distributed, and marketed.
Self-publishing is in the middle of a revolution, and that means constant change. One vision is having a company that is nimble enough to adapt to market conditions, competition, and author needs faster than the other guys. Turning that vision into a reality is the challenge.
President of Outskirts Press 