"It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever - the one who recognizes the challenge and does something about it."
-Vince Lombardi
When you first opened your business you probably found yourself full of enthusiasm, expectation, and excitement. You were the doer, the achiever Coach Lombardi would stand and cheer. Often these feelings are sufficient to carry you through the first couple of years needed to establish your business and begin to gain momentum.
What sometimes comes next can be disheartening for many ...
- When you opened your business did you imagine business success would lead to more money and more personal freedom?
- Did you imagine pursuing your passion would mean the hard work would always be fun?
- Are you now beginning to feel overwhelmed and trapped by the success you achieved?
- Have you resigned yourself to the difference in your expectations and your reality or are your still in denial?
- Are you suffering from the business owner blues?
"I had to spend countless hours, above and beyond the basic time, to try and perfect the fundamentals."
-Julius Erving
Just like an athlete excels by focusing on the fundamentals, so must Strategic Business Owners focus on the fundamentals of growing their businesses. Among these business fundamentals a strategic business owner must:
- Face reality – really know your business and self,
- Define your vision and your goals – get focused!,
- Adopt a strategic focus and priority management system – stop acting like an employee and start thinking and acting like a Chief Executive Officer (CEO),
- Utilize a strategic selling process,
- Leverage the power of marketing – achieve substantial growth,
- Excel at leadership, not doer-ship – create a vision and excite your team,
- Effectively manage your greatest asset – your people,
- Develop clarity of direction with a simple business plan and accountability process,
- Systematize your business by creating, documenting and improving all your key processes, procedures and policies – document your business, train others, delegate to others, and replace yourself in the technical trenches, and
- Learn to let go and enjoy life – trust your systems, your people and your leadership talents.
"Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen."
-Michael Jordan
Each month we will explore some aspect of one of these business fundamentals followed by a series of thought provoking questions. As we approach each subject I encourage you to find a quiet place and answer the questions posed honestly. Consider any actions you might take to grow your business over the next 90 days and write these actions down. Refer to the actions you commit to often. Most importantly, hold yourself accountable for results – check your progress toward achieving your goals. Find someone you can trust to help you stay accountable and serve as a sounding board as you move forward.
To get you started here are a few questions to consider and lay the ground work:
- What is working great in your business?
- What is not working in your business?
- Why did you go into business?
- Does your dream for your business match reality?
- Where is your business headed?
- Do you have a vision of the future for your business?
Give these questions some thought and write down your answers. Be honest about where you stand. Admit that change will only happen if you make it happen. You are responsible for what your business is, both good and bad. Commit to enhance and grow the things that work great and to fix the things that do not work.
"It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action and discipline that enabled us to follow through."
-Zig Ziglar
