Imagine the patience Thomas Edison must have had. He reputedly failed 10,000 times before he perfected the incandescent bulb. For 13 years he feverishly worked on it.
Of course, he didn’t invent the light bulb, he merely worked on perfecting an earlier idea. And, he didn’t work alone either, he had a whole team of engineers experimenting with a variety of ideas. But every time an idea didn’t work. He made notes and moved ahead. As he’s famously quoted “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” He stayed motivated trying one thing after another until it did work. If Edison can push through for 13 years, we should be able to push through a season of mental slumpery. (more…)
Owning and developing your own business can be a stressful endeavor, which should come as no secret to most people. Even those who have never owned their own company will acknowledge the stress and headaches that can come with being the person at the top of a business. You are responsible for not only your own livelihood, but many of you also for the livelihood of employees who work for you.
Now add the current economic conditions to the picture and it gets even more challenging. Despite best efforts, as a business owner you might be finding yourself struggling to stay ahead or, at best, stay afloat. The fear of having all of your hard work crumbling underneath you can stress anyone out. (more…)
For a sports team to be successful it takes more than just a superstar player, a strong roster of talented young backups or even state-of-the art training facilities. While all of those can be important factors, none of it would result in a winning unit without the help of one person: the head coach.
The coach is the person who meshes all of those elements together, who can turn a rag-tag collection of different skills and abilities, egos and personalities and other disparate factors into one cohesive unit designed to accomplish a task better than anyone else. One need only look at a person like former Chicago Bulls head coach Phil Jackson, who took an “eccentric” rebounder (Dennis Rodman), a sometimes moody forward (Scottie Pippen) and arguably the greatest player in professional basketball history (Michael Jordan), intertwined them with a changing roster of teammates and created an NBA juggernaut that rewrote the record books, to see what impact a good coach can make. (more…)
As small business owners and entrepreneurs, you know the constant challenge that comes with having to wear all the hats. It’s no wonder how easy it is to get overwhelmed and overloaded.
There is always so much, entrepreneurs want to get done, and they all seem to scream “now!” It’s hard to see the light when you’re up to your ears in work and trying to get it all done. Nothing good ever comes of trying to fit everything in at one time, so we must remember to prioritize and pace ourselves. The productivity tips to achieving our goals are to plan out exactly we want to gain from it and determine the necessary steps to make our goal. In order to ensure a successful outcome and best time management, here are 5 productivity tips to help: (more…)
For most small business owners and entrepreneurs, sustaining business growth in today’s economy can feel like you’re treading water — which is unnecessarily exhausting when you’re doing those 52 weeks a year.
A well thought out marketing plan to attract new customers is important factor to generate business growth. But, all too often entrepreneurs and small business owners overlook two other strategic initiatives that can also impact your business growth in a powerful way. That would be increasing customer loyalty and motivating employee productivity.
We all know it’s much easier to focus on getting repeat business from customers who have already purchased from you than it is to woo and convert a brand new potential buyer to trying you out. Instead of constantly focusing on where I can find new customers, it’s so much more productive to ask the question, “Who are our best customers now? (You know the ones who already know, like, trust and LOVE us). And, how can we better serve their specific needs?” (more…)
As small business owners and entrepreneurs, you know the constant challenge that comes with having to wear all the hats. It’s no wonder how easy it is to get overwhelmed and overloaded.
