Conversation with Intrapreneurs: 1. Joseph Wortmann

I got an opportunity to talk to a great guy Joseph Wortmann (check his LinkedIN profile here). Joseph started as a software engineer at Macess and went on to found a company Comframe that started by developing a clinical image viewing system. Comframe has now over 100 employees and partners with organizations like Microsoft and IBM in developing quality imaging software. He also founded Emageon, serves on the board of Iron door company, and runs a management consultant firm. His diverse and successful career is an inspiration to several wannabe intrapreneurs. Joseph is an example of innovating inside a corporation and continuing the successful trend to start entrepreneurial ventures.

The Biggest Thing you learned?
People are the most important. One should truly understand and work with them. Understand their motivations and desires. Intra (or entre)preneurship is a sales job more than technical appeal to their interests.

Which is harder – Intrapreneurship or Entrepreneurship?
Intrapreneurship is sometimes harder than entrepreneurship. As an entrepreneur, if people turn you down, it is OK. You can pitch your idea to ten others. You have a greater degree of failure freedom. You are your own master and your ideas fail only because of you. Inside a corporation, people can kill your idea if you are not politically savvy. Inside a corporation, you have to learn persuasion and knack of selling yourself.

Importance of prototyping?
Critical! Prototyping, getting traction and support are very important. Executives don’t make immediate decisions when you present your idea. They will call the people they trust. You’ve to gain the trust of these trustees.

Biggest Advise
Don’t give up. There will be initial resistance, a tribal resistance. First No’s are very common. Find a way to re-approach. Be persistent.

Thanks Joseph for the time and valuable advise. Going back to my previous posts on achieving excellence (manifesto) and prototyping, Joe’s words reemphasize this. An idea without a prototype is not effective. Learn the art of woo (read the book by the same name by Shell and Moussa). This will help you get across a lot of hurdles.