Daniel I am reminded of a reaction I had to a mid-90's issue of Inc. Magazine that I read during the 7-year period I was growing an IT company from 0 to $20M. There was a photo on the cover, as I recall, showing a guy with a bunch of credit cards. He was proud -- and Inc. was validating him -- of his use of multiple credit cards to borrow enough money to finance his business. This is what I would call bending the rules. If he had failed, he was going to stiff all those companies. To me, being an entrepreneur is not necessarily being a 'clever boy,' playing roller derby with the rules to get where you're going. It is also not about exposing other people to your risks. Being an entrepreneur entails a mentality aimed at value creation rather than earning the approval of an employer. I felt then, as I do now, that it is a matter of style and perhaps ethics as to whether the road to success has you brushing by the others, bumping them, or knocking them out of the way. I acknowledge that many have succeeded by taking no prisoners. On the other hand, I enjoy the fruits of my work knowing that I really did not bend the rules. I simply outperformed my peers by walking right down the middle of the ethical and legal highway in full daylight. It is not necessary to use the Women's room (as a guy) --- unless of course the alternative is that you are going to soil the Starbucks if that homeless guy doesn't exit the Men's room pronto!

Cheers

No brainer, grab a napkin, scribble on it "sorry, man inside, will be out ASAP, emergency!" That way no one would freak out when a man popped out of the bathroom. Mission accomplished.

I think I'm a #4 and have done it before, multiple times. But in each case there was also the following: I had to REALLY REALLY pee and somehow the line for the men's bathroom was longer than the girls.

Neat little blog. It is a funny thing to think about it, but you are correct, you have to think outside the box and be willing to take risks to start a business. I would have to say all people who consider themselves entrepreneurs would choose #5. At the same time, it might not always be a need to be #5. How long of a wait is the bathroom? Is it appropriate for this place (is this a fine dining restaurant)?

If we are comparing this to starting a business....the questions are.....is there a need to start this business? Is it appropriate to start a business like this? Can it be successful? Rather than just starting a business for the sake of starting a business (or using the ladies room just because there is a 1 minute wait).

Bathroom Entrepreneurial Scale

#2 is the no brainer. #3 is out of the question. But #4 and #5 I would and have done, sensing that the environment was "conducive" to sharing. I would limit to peeing and would definitely chance a co-ed sit-in. It's all about the ethic and the consideration toward others, and not necessarily about the rules that were invented as a proxy for such...

Not only would I, but I have many times. Most people laugh or make fun but I see those type of situations as guidelines for respecting your fellow patron. There was a Sinefield that had a similar circumstance with the handicap stall. If you got to go and the typical rules set in place for organizing the masses has no masses at all to organize, I think it silly to follow them.

I think it is the same as a similar question I ask my friends alot... If you are in the middle of no where and you could see miles down in every direction at an intersection do you wait at a red light for more then just a stop and check?

In the end I'm probably a 3 . I think the guidelines is to protect a persons privacy. If there was a women in there I have now stepped over her rights and I don't intend on that.

I'd be at #2- and would have to be pretty drunk to attempt #5. Which, as a teetotaler, I am almost never!

Interesting scale tho. I think a real entrepreneur, seeing that one option is closed, might try to either "innovate" an option (bushes, other establishments' restaurants, etc) or would open up another coffee place nearby with more bathrooms and put the first place out of business!

I think I rank between a 3 and a 4 depending on my mood.

Tim Ferris makes a similar point in 'The 4 Hour Workweek'. If you want to be a good entrepreneur, you have to get used to being out of your comfort zone. So he recommends doing things on purpose to get out of your comfort zone. Going to the opposite sex's bathroom is a great example.

A complete 5. Are you kidding? When you gotta go... you gotta go and who cares who sees your fanny. Plus, think of all the people you'd meet. Seriously, it could be your next big client or connection.

i'll go for Number 3! i'll go for number 4 (and I have..)if its "a well calculated risk with exit strategy(if I get caught)!" In my opinion TOO ENTREPRENEURIAL would mean going for what you want while disregarding the people around you.
I'm willing to take an all out risk if nobody else is involve.... but if not, i'll think twice , otherwise.