All In

Summary written by: Barb Brittain-Marshall

To read a book by an author who lives in the same city as you brings with it an
element of familiarity. Perhaps unwarranted, but somehow this physical proximity
allows for a connection to be established right off the get go. You have someth
ing in common; you know many of the references or local haunts they mention in t
heir work. This is not to say, however, that just because you don t live in Calgar
y, Alberta, Canada, the city both Ms. Dickinson and I call home, that you should
n t read her book, All In. Quite the contrary, actually, as you hear her voice, re
sonating from the pages in a very down to earth, straight to the point style, it
makes you feel that you have had coffee with her recently, wherever you call ho
me.
As you may be aware, Arlene Dickinson is a venture capitalist on the TV show Dra
gons Den and The Big Decision. This is not her first book. In 2011 she wrote, Per
suasion, which was something of an overnight success. The TV gigs and books are
just some of her side projects while she continues to lead her own company, Vent
ure Communications, where she is CEO. I know! That is quite a list of credential
s she has built for herself. I m a wee bit tired just reading it and, at the same
time, duly impressed by all that she has accomplished. She would tell you that i
t wasn t always like this
success was elusive at best, personal challenges of rais
ing four kids as a single mom with little income to speak of and coming to terms
with the fact, that at her core she is, and always will be an entrepreneur.
Being an entrepreneur isn t a cakewalk. Deep, inner strength is required to succee
d as one. Ms. Dickinson says that is why she wrote this book. There are plenty of
great books out there about how to run a company, but there isn t as much informa
tion on how to build the inner strength you need to succeed as an entrepreneur.
The Golden Egg
Entrepreneurship is a way of life
"Entrepreneurship isn t a job; it s an identity, a way of life, and a powerful guidi
ng instinct."
- All In, page 245
The subtitle of this book is You, Your Business, Your Life which sums up a critica
l fact that many overlook when considering leaving their current cubicle job for
independence and freedom. The fact is there are no boundaries that can be readi
ly identified when you live the life of an entrepreneur. All lines are blurred.
Your business is not regulated to the work you leave at the office. You thrive o
n living and breathing the business you are building. It is a whole package deal
. Your business is your life and your life is your business, and most entreprene
urs wouldn t want it any other way.
Gem #1
Be sure you want it
" You need your own bulletproof reason for doing what you re doing. "
- All In, page 33
Arlene Dickinson suggests that before you go all in , you know what you are getting
yourself into as there isn t room for going part way. You need to know why you qu
it your day job, why you re-mortgaged the house, and why you are burning the mid
night oil. Being able to answer this question in such a way that it becomes your
personal mantra is what will be your anchor during the tough times. As the auth
or says, You need to know up front that being an entrepreneur is demanding, rewar
ding, scary, and thrilling. The level of commitment required, especially when you
face obstacles and the naysayers that will inevitably circle, is something of s
uperhero proportions. Your inner strength will be put to the fire and whether yo
u melt or hold up is up to only you. Emotional preparation is something that few

talk about in entrepreneurial hallways, but Ms. Dickinson doesn t shy away from t
ackling how being an entrepreneur can wreak havoc with friendships, marriages, a
nd relationships in general. The best defense going in is anticipation and prepa
ration. For example, she suggests that the biggest threat to an entrepreneur s mar
riage will be absence. So often an entrepreneur is at work, thinking about work,
dreaming up new work, or seeking new work. Even if they are physically present,
their mind may be still on the work and the cell phone will become an appendage
. What to do? Recognize that this is the lifestyle of an entrepreneur and talk a
bout how life will change for both of you if you embark on this path. Remember t
hat you aren t the only one on this wild and crazy rollercoaster ride. Be very sur
e you want it.
Gem #2
There is no work/life balance
"You get to have a love affair, instead: with your work and your life as a whole
."
- All In, page 75
All of us recognize that life is busy. We feel it. We don t have a lot of extra ti
me just dangling from the ceiling waiting to find a purpose. There is a tremendo
us amount of pressure to achieve this thing called work /life balance. Arlene Dick
inson says, in her charmingly blunt way, that it doesn t exist so stop feeling gui
lty about it. It took her many years to come to terms with this but it was very
freeing once she did. She advises that you give yourself permission to see your
work as a creative expression of who you are and that you love it. Once you give
yourself this permission you can then find ways to incorporate your family, fri
ends, and interests into your business life. Accept that life will be messy. Mak
e being present wherever you are a priority. Find a way to be reliably, consiste
ntly reachable to those who need you at home no matter the time zone you are in.
Celebrate the fact that this thing you call work is so completely what you want
to be doing that you don t distinguish between it and your life. Most people are
doing work they would never consider fulfilling if it was their entire life. Not
so for the entrepreneur. This for them is the Holy Grail; the whole reason why
they left their day job in the first place, to achieve the freedom to combine th
eir work and life.
ABOUT BARB BRITTAIN-MARSHALL
Barb Brittain-Marshall is addicted to reading. Seriously, it has become a bit of
a problem. Stacks of books clutter her home. She fears an intervention is close
at hand...

THE AUTHOR
Arlene
Arlene Dickinson
Arlene Dickinson is one of Canada s most renowned independent marketing communicat
ions entrepreneurs. After becoming a partner in Venture...