As a result of having helped hundreds of entrepreneurs over the years, we have discovered the Top Three Reasons Why Small Businesses Underperform:
The business owners:
1. Think they’re caring for their business, but are actually micromanaging it;
2. Think they’re being strategic, but are simply taking every opportunity that comes their way; and,
3. Think they’ve started a business to change the world in some way, but become too busy running their business, and the world ends up waiting another year.
A successful business starts with awareness. As a business owner, it is imperative that you be extremely aware of your actions and the results and consequences they bring. How are you an expansion prevention machine? Are you being caring or controlling? Are you proactive or reactive? Do you ensure your greater purpose is being served?
So, I ask you this: Are you stepping in your own sand castle?
As the backbone to your business, know and own what you stand for. Customers will sooner respect you, if you respect yourself. Now, this is not encouraging bad customer service, but be uncompromising when your values are challenged, and learn to say NO when an opportunity isn’t serving your greater purpose.
In our business, anything we do needs to start with a spark, an initial excitement, and raise the bar for us and for our customers in some way; we have the guts to ask the hard questions and dig deeper to gain clarity; and we keep things simple to allow the freedom to excel. All of these things create our sandcastle, and we make sure to watch where we step!