New Business Development – Page 6

Confidence Vs Arrogance

As business builders,
we all need
confidence.

We need confidence
to sell our products.

We need confidence
to convince people
to partner with us,
to give us business loans,
to take a chance
on a new-to-them business.

But there is a huge difference
between
confidence
and
arrogance.

I think of arrogance
as the assumption
the laws,
whether they are
society’s laws,
the laws of nature,
the laws of human interactions
or something other than that,
don’t apply to us.

Arrogant people
tell themselves
they are exceptions.
Those laws are
for ‘other people.’

They don’t have to pay taxes,
for example,
because they’re smarter than other people
or more worthy
or more powerful.

That arrogance is often
their downfall.

(Do NOT f*ck with
the tax people.
They will mess you up.)

Be confident.
But keep your arrogance
in check.

Support Your Neighbors

If you’re starting
a new business
in a neighborhood,
buy as much as you can
from local businesses.

Get your coffee
from the coffee shop
on the corner.

Buy your morning bagel
from a different restaurant
in the neighborhood.

Ask a neighbor
which electrician
she uses.

Buy your printer paper
from the local office supply place.

Yes, it will cost
a little bit more
but it should pay off
in connections.

Communities tend
to support their own.

Become ‘their own’
as soon as possible
by being seen
supporting the places
THEY support.

Neighborhood Relations

If you’re starting
a business
with a physical location,
whether that business
is a taco truck,
an Airbnb
or something else,
having a good relationship
with your neighbors
is important.

It can mean
the difference
between your business
succeeding
or failing.

Because neighbors
can make your life
absolute he77.

They can call the city
about perceived or real
coding violations.

They can call the police
about noise issues.

They can bad talk
your business
to potential customers.

They can block your driveway.

And do a thousand
other things
that will take your time
to resolve
and cost you money
and customers.

Introduce yourself
to your neighbors.

Give them something
as an apology
in advance for any inconveniences.

Of course,
offer them a ‘special’ discount
with your business.

And keep them informed.

You NEED your neighbors
to be
on your side.

Or, at the very least,
you want them to be
neutral.

This will
make or break
your business.

Is It A Business Or A Hobby?

A loved one
claims he purchased
a house
as a business opportunity.

He plans
to turn it into
an Airbnb.

I walked through the place.

His claims
of it being a business
are
bullsh*t.

He plans to use it
as his personal
vacation property.

How did I know this?

Every renovation decision
was based on
his personal tastes.

He has a kitchen counter,
for example,
that needs to be cleaned
a very specific way
or
it will scratch.

All his textiles,
as another small example,
have to be treated
very, very gently.

That’s not rental friendly.

If you base decisions
on what YOU like,
not what your target market
likes or needs,
you have a hobby,
not a business.

Deprivation And Lifestyle Changes

“A change centering around
deprivation
doesn’t last.”

A mentor told me that
once.

She also told me
to focus on
what I gained
by the change,
not what I lost.

For example,
we shouldn’t tell ourselves
we can’t ever
flop on the couch
and watch TV
after our day jobs end.

We tell ourselves
we get to spend
our evenings
working on our own businesses.

We shouldn’t tell ourselves
we can’t spend our excess money
on the latest toys.

We tell ourselves
we are investing in
our businesses
and in our dreams.

Don’t focus on
what we lose
by starting a business.

Focus on
what we gain.

Small Steps Count

A loved one has started
an exercise program.
He does 10 minutes of walking
every day.

He counts ALL walking.
If he walks to the bathroom,
he counts that as part
of his 10 minutes.

And that’s okay.
Because he is still
doing more walking
than he did
before tracking it.

Small steps count.
They add up.
They still take us
toward our goals.

Complete a small task
for your business startup today.

Decide on a font color.
Talk to someone
in your target market.
Research sources
for supplies.

Do something
to move you closer
to your goals.

Don’t Vote To Eliminate Your Own Business

US National Teamsters
refused to
endorse a US Presidential Candidate
even though
one candidate supports unions
and the other candidate,
if he could,
would eliminate all unions
and throw the union leaders in jail.

That’s bullsh*t thinking
and bullsh*t strategy.

It is the same type
of strategy
that put a union-hating leader (Ford)
and party (the Conservatives)
in power in
Ontario, Canada.

And you know what
is happening now
in
Ontario, Canada?

Union jobs are being eliminated
and the rollout of new unions
are being blocked.

We should support political leaders
who support us.

For you and me,
those are
leaders who are favorable
to small business.

Fascists are NOT favorable
to small business
or start ups of any kind.

Don’t vote
to eliminate your own business.

Support Fellow Small Business Owners

A man was selling vegetables
in a parking lot.
He had a sign
saying
he needed the money
to pay his bills.

I didn’t need vegetables
but I bought a bunch
of green onions.

Why?

Because he needed help
and also because
he was a fellow
small business owner.

I can’t promote
my products
by saying
they’re produced
by a small business
if I don’t,
myself,
support small businesses.

Customers are savvy
and the internet
is all revealing.
They’ll figure it out.

Plus I will know.
I’ll know
I’m not being genuine
and I don’t believe
the sh*t I’m pitching.

Support fellow
small business owners.

Tracking Deliveries

We’re approaching
the busy holiday shopping season
and
many of us
are improving
our systems to prepare for it.

One feature that is now
absolutely essential
for businesses
shipping to customers
is giving those customers
the ability to track
those shipments.

Customers expect
to be informed
when products
leave our facilities
and when products
are expected to be delivered
and every stop
between those two points.

Ensure your delivery partners
provide that information
and
ensure your business
has a process,
ideally automated,
that links your customers
to that information
provided by your delivery partners.

Customers expect
to be able to track shipments.
Ensure they have
that ability.

Don’t Take Advice From People Who Haven’t Figured It Out For Themselves

A loved one
regularly
gives me advice
on health and fitness topics.

I listen to him.
But I’m always skeptical
about his advice.

Why?

Because he’s in
terrible health.

And those health problems
are mostly
due to his choices.

There are
plenty of people
who are in great health
giving advice.

I use my limited time
to investigate THEIR advice.

Don’t take advice
from people
who haven’t figured out
the topic of that advice
for themselves.