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Dan Caulfield, 32, runs what many would deem a successfulventure: $4 million in 1998 sales with 60 employees. So when thefounder of Hire Quality Inc., a Chicago firm that matches currentand former military personnel with prospective private-sectoremployers, announced he was going to dramatically change hisbusiness model, he expected to catch some flak. But one criticismbothered Caulfield the most: "You're notfocused!"
"A year ago when people would say I was unfocused [about mybusiness model], I took it very personally," Caulfield says."I'd think to myself, `You're not as smart as I am.You obviously don't understand what I'msaying.' "
Approximately a year later, someone Caulfield deeply respectsand trusts confronted him with the same criticism. This time, theentrepreneur listened. "I came back from that meeting and wentdirectly to my business plan and worked on it for several hours,trying to simplify and clarify it. That was one of those moments inlife where I finally said, `They're right. I have to go backand fix something.' "
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