Category: New Business Development

Messing With Systems

The planet has designed
systems that have allowed it
to flourish.

One small slice of an example,
vegetation feeds on nutrients
in the soil
to grow.
When that vegetation dies,
those nutrients return
to the soil.
And that allows more vegetation to grow.
This cycle repeats forever.

When we f*ck with that system,
the system tends to break.

In this example,
we mess with it by
bagging our grass clippings
instead of leaving them on the lawn
when we mow.
Then we send those grass clippings
off site.

Those nutrients no longer
return to the soil.
They aren’t available
for the grass to use.
The grass dies,
basically,
of starvation.

And we wonder why
our lawns look ragged.

One of the first things
many new entrepreneurs want to do
is break or change
the system.

Before you do that,
know WHY that system
is in place
and how it functions.

Learn what
the consequences will be
if you change or break
that system
BEFORE you do that.

Think it through
before making the decision
to break the system.

Cardi B, Patti LaBelle And Visible Mentorship

Mentorship is often
a private relationship.
We don’t usually see
who is mentoring who.

One of the many things
I love about the holiday season
is the passing on
of knowledge
from established singers
to up and coming stars
(and often vice versa)
is much more visible.

We see Patti LaBelle spending time
with Cardi B.
We see Elton John spending time
with Ed Sheeran.
We see Mariah Carey spending time
with Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson.

And we know
knowledge is being shared.
Businesses are being
strengthened.
The odds of lasting success
are being increased.

Consider spending time
(in person or online)
with people
you respect
and admire.

You and your business
should benefit
from that experience.

Share Your Schedule With Business Partners

I’ve told my editor
when I will be sending her
my next story
to edit.

She can now more successfully
plan
her workload,
ensuring she finishes projects
while also enjoying
some time
with loved ones.

We are heading into
the busy holiday season.

It is a busy time
for EVERYONE,
including our business partners.

Tell them
if and/or when
you plan to send work
their way
during the holiday season.

They AND their loved ones
will appreciate
the notice.

The End Of One Business Is The Beginning Of Another

I plan to stop writing
Romance Novels
in two years.
That business
will be placed
on maintenance mode only.

It’s the end
of that business.
And that IS sad
in many ways.

I’m grieving it.

But it also means
I’ll have that time
to do something different.

I’ll likely start
another business.
And that is VERY exciting.

Business builders
build businesses.
That’s what we do.

The end of one business
is often the start
of another business.

Plan A Business Closing…If You Can

I plan to stop
releasing new novels
(producing new products)
for my Romance Novel writing business
two years from now
(unless the sales trajectory
changes).

I’m fortunate
because,
due to my tracking of sales
and the following of other trends,
I have some notice
before ‘closing’ my business.

(The books will remain
at booksellers
but without marketing activity
on my part,
the sales will soon dwindle
to nothing.)

I have the privilege
of planning my exit.

I plan to make it
the happiest exit
I can
for loyal readers
(customers)
and leave them
with smiles on their faces.

A friend of mine
plans to do the exact opposite.
She plans to leave them
with a cliffhanger.
Her thought is
she wants to leave readers
wanting more of her writing.

If we have
the ability to do so,
we should plan
our business’s closing.

It is part of
our legacy.
Put thought
into it.

Don’t Schedule Work 7 Days A Week

We’re business builders.
We have a lot to do
and tend to work
7 days a week
attempting to get it done.
I understand that.
I live that life.

But I also understand
that unexpected things come up
during the week,
things we have to put
other tasks aside for
and tackle.

If we create a schedule
that has us working
7 days a week,
we won’t ever have time
to complete those set aside tasks.

We’ll fall further and further behind
and we’ll end up
missing critical deadlines.

That is why
I don’t schedule anything
on the weekends.
The weekends are spent
catching up on tasks.
They are used
to put me back on track.

If a miracle happens
and I AM on track,
I take time off
to recharge
and power up
for the upcoming week.

Don’t schedule work
7 days a week.
Give yourself time
to catch up on tasks.

Storage IS An Issue

I donate new and gently used goods
to charity shops
in November.

I time it
that way
so the charity shops
have new stock
during their busy holiday seasons
and
they don’t have to store
those items
for a long time.

Storage is often
an issue.

I’ve shared posts
in the past
recommending business builders
have a backup
for critical machinery and devices.

This only makes sense
if we have storage room
for those machines and devices.

If we have to pay
to store them elsewhere,
it is often more efficient
to not have a backup on hand
and to save those rental fees
for emergency machinery rentals.

Always ask yourself
where you will store an item.

Customer History

A loved one
has been battling
a huge internet provider
for well over a month.

Every time
he calls their customer service
they have NO record
of his previous calls.

This is a company
that likely tracks
everything we do
on the internet,
selling that information
to other companies.

The lack of tracking
re: customer service
is deliberate.
It is irritating.
And it likely loses them customers.

But this company is one
of the biggest in the country
so they don’t care.

We can’t be as uncaring.
Our businesses are smaller.
We’re trying to build our customer bases.
We need positive customer experiences
and the positive word of mouth
that accompanies that.

Track customer service experiences.
Keep a thorough customer file.

Ensure your customers
feel respected.

Recognize The Sacrifice

Today is Remembrance Day
in my part of the world,
a day in which
we commemorate
the warriors who fought
for our country.

I didn’t agree
with all the battles
fought
but I recognize
and honor
the sacrifices made.

I also don’t agree
with all the businesses
being built
but I recognize
the hard work
and the ingenuity
people are putting
into those businesses.

(I’m NOT equating
building a business
and fighting in a war.

We, business builders,
aren’t AT ALL
making that level
of sacrifice.
Thankfully.)

You don’t have to
agree with an action
to respect
the spirit
behind that action.