Busy With the Right Thing?

This blog post is for the independent, solo, or small business entrepreneur who proudly offers a product or service that’s exceptional. My question to you is: Why aren’t you, in this market, having great success financially? If you are, congratulations. But if you’re not, read on.

You might wonder, what I mean when I write, “in this market.” After all, haven’t we been going through a terrible pandemic? Haven’t businesses been impacted by tough financial times? Has it not been difficult to keep the doors open? Aren’t people scared, depressed, and struggling?

The answer to those questions is, only if you’re focused on that – and not the unique conditions that have been created for you in the last few years. For example, more wealth has been created in recent years than in decades. There’s more money available to lend and invest, than in decades. The customer is more willing to engage with interesting businesses than ever before. We’ve had the greatest revolution in technology than ever before, enabling cash to instantly be captured from customers and appear in your bank account. And there are countless ways to get paid. The real question is whether you have leveraged all of these elements to help your business prosper.

I know all of this might seem inconsistent with talk in the small business community, but I’m reminding you of something that I’ve reminded myself of, as an entrepreneur. There’s always someone prospering in your business, that sees circumstances completely differently that you do. Sometimes that different way of looking at things is purely hopeful. But in this case, these are real facts. What most small businesses do not do, is act like there’s no way they can lose, by doing everything they can.

Most small business people will say they’re very busy. But usually this is about, getting the physical place and products, in order, whether it’s sourcing or manufacturing or the presentation of items. Sometimes it’s being busy working with customers, but these are often, low-value customers. I even hear some talk about being busy who are doing none of that. They’re simply doing things that have little impact while waiting for customers to show up.

What’s interesting is how many businesses people, rule out maneuvers that could mean great success. I was recently thinking about a particular time in my entrepreneurial career when things were not going my way. Looking back, knowing what I now know, I was so close to turning things around and having an incredible windfall it’s hard to imagine that I didn’t follow-through. However, there was just enough of a layer of doubt that prevented me from being more assertive in the right direction. That resulted in difficult times in business, instead of enormous prosperity.

This is not a market for the passive. This is a market for the active. You must not only do more, but everything in your power to capitalize on every glimmer of opportunity. When you do so, you’ll find there’s plenty out there. Sure, you will meet the normal stumbling blocks and resistance, but press on. There’s serious opportunity out here.

You’ll find your competition is tentative. They are moving slow. They are not confident. And there are buyers, partners, even potential employees who will find working with you, extremely attractive, but only if you become a person of action on the right matters.

The right matters are always taking whatever assets you have and doing a better job of getting them out there. You must become revenue-centric, and customer-centric. Promote something you haven’t promoted. Don’t just do it once, do it constantly until you break through. Call people you’d like to do business with. Not just one, but many and continually. Get into follow-up mode. Not just once, but continually until you break through. Find other businesses you can partner with. Don’t just think about it, do it.

There’s something that many will not admit, but they don’t really want to work too hard. When they awaken from the fantasy of being in business, and realize that it requires vision, relentless drive, will, and stamina – all in the face of difficulty and rejection, they want nothing to do with that. I’ve seen small businesses unnecessarily close, because the top person would not do enough of the right work. They loved the products, and the idea of being in business, but not the daily, systematic, discipline of building a base of customers, and maximizing each one. Well, that’s what this market calls for.

I want you to take this time to encourage you to get busy in a new way. I want you to act like there’s incredible opportunity in your field, just below the surface. Ignore anything you hear or see to the contrary. I want you to act that way, because that’s the way it is. Get busy.