IN THE BEGINNING
EVERY journey has a destination. Just as your journey requires a
MAP to guide you along the road…. a business plan is the MAP or
direction guide needed to reach full-potential in your business.
Unfortunately, far too many businesses just begin. No plan and no
direction. Shooting from the hip seldom hits the target. Surprisingly
some do survive but with lots of unnecessary wounds.
Others never make it. History keeps repeating itself. Over 90% of
new businesses never reach their 5th anniversary. Why? Many reasons,
but lack of capital, no experience, poor management only begins to
touch the list. No business plan probably tops the list.
Too many of us are so busy “draining the swamp” that we never see
the “alligators”. Working IN your business rather than working ON the
business. Very few of us can do both jobs well.
AT HOME EXPERIENCES
Nothing beats “down-home”. In the “trenches” experience makes a
lasting impression. Just yesterday, one of our adult sons said, I’m
working 16 hour days. If I can find someone to “run” a service van
then I can concentrate ON…” Most of us have been there!
Sometimes we have to work IN the business. Seldom is it possible
to only “oversee” or spend full-time in the ON position.
FULL POTENTIAL
Few of us would try to EXPLAIN the unknown. You would not understand
my “full potential” nor can I know what it means to you. Many of us
would think MONEY. Prestige. Big house. Fast cars. Travel. STUFF!
Your goal may be to provide employment. Help the disadvantaged. Meet
a particular social need in your city or town. Provide counseling to
those in financial trouble. Feed the hungry. Spiritual renewal or any
number of potential successes.
All focus is on YOU. Find something that you LOVE to do. That way it
is possible to earn a living and never work. Turn your HOBBY into your
“labor” and then forget about vacations. (don’t let the SPOUSE know!)
Truth is, we need a break even from our hobby. So go ahead and take
your family on vacations. They deserve one and YOU will too.
LIFE VALUES
Business executives and wannabees miss the signs. Warnings! They are
all around us. Working 12 and 16 hour days is too much for most of us.
Insufficient rest. No time with the kids. Lack of “spousal” attention.
Big is NOT always better. Don’t let PRIDE get in the way of success.
Many a $1 million Dollar business is far more profitable than lots of
$100 million dollar firms and larger.
Finding your niche is the KEY. Full potential does NOT mean just making
more money. Recognize a problem. Solve it. Some years ago, our firm was
in the staffing secretarial business. At the time, I was President of the
local Rescue Mission and our “guests” had problems.
Homeless. Addicts. Alcohol, drugs, etc. None were ‘secretarial” so we
began an industrial service at the Rescue Mission. Our goal was to
rehabilitate and help these men return to their families and a productive lifestyle.
(Was that a smart decision? How? When? Why? Where? and many more. New business issues need answers. Seldom are we always right. There
were problems to face – but it taught us a valuable lesson)
FOCUS ON YOUR GOAL
Stay in YOUR niche and become the very BEST. Excellence in your field
will grow your business to its optimum level. Bigger does not always mean
better for most of us. Customer service weakens with size. Only YOU can
decide the advantages Vs Disadvantages to adding staff, buildings, etc.
You can be proud as a small business owner. Employee. Supervisor. There
are distinct and important benefits to being small. Quicker response to
your customer requests or complaints.
Never saying, “OUR POLICY” is good business. You have the flexibility to
make decisions based on individual needs. If a customer is unhappy then
your ability to address their problem is paramount to success.
Your loyal customer likes to deal with PEOPLE! Not some policy written
in a manual by a bean counter somewhere in the ivory towers.
All said and done….business is PEOPLE. Persuading them to visit your
store, service, plant. Buy your product. Use your service. Remember, too,
that your staff, your vendors, are YOUR customers. Your clients.
LESSON LEARNED: Full Potential = our BEST. A small business offers BIG
value to the customer. PERSONAL service. ATTENTION! Build your LIFE values on relationships. Invest yourself in making life better for someone else and it will return back to you in good measure.
Don Monteith spent 32 years as co-owner of a personnel/staffing business. His firm placed thousands of job candidates in their dream job. Today, Don shares his business and career expertise through his newest websites on the Internet. Lots of FREE ideas – suggestions – ready for your perusal and study.
