Training for our 2009 charity rides has begun. I'm reminded of the parallels between riding a bike and our business.
For one, I need a bike sized for me, a helmet, riding gloves with gel inserts at the pressure points, riding shorts, riding jersey, and the all important Chamois Butt'r (just ask any experienced rider). Your business also needs a plan, and the right tools for success. Without planning, your business is like riding with a wobbly bicycle wheel and improper tire inflation. You're not going to get very far, very fast and it's going to feel like you're riding through sand. Does your business sometimes feel like that?
Once you're prepared for your ride with a well maintained bike and the proper gear, you need to keep your focus on the road ahead. The shards of glass from broken bottles are the enemy of your inflated tire. Remnants of vehicle tires, with the "steel" belts exposed, roadkill, and pot holes are some of the other hazards you need to be alert to avoid. You have to be just as vigilant when it comes to your business. There are many "bright, shiny, objects" - ideas you might pursue - distracting you from your core business, causing you to lose focus and miss operational issues. Had you not been distracted, you could have handled the issue intelligently rather than when it became a crisis. Remaining focused on your objective is what keeps you traveling safely.
I remind small business owners to look at their business from both the ten foot level and from the ten thousand foot level. You need both perspectives to avoid tunnel vision. While I'm riding, I focus a lot on the pavement immediately in front of me. However, if that's all I'm focusing on, I may miss that car ahead that's pulled over onto the shoulder directly in front of me, causing me to swerve out into traffic. In your business that may show up as, whoops, you had a great year, now Uncle Sam wants his share.
I have scars on both knees as reminders of when I got off track and lost control. That can happen in our businesses. We get busy. We get behind on keeping track of the numbers. Cash flow begins to be a problem. Just like when we're riding a bicycle and we get off track, we need to gain control of the bike before we jerk it back on the pavement. I have two knees as a testament to that piece of brilliance. If your business gets off track, the rule of thumb is get control first before continuing on your path.
And the best part of riding in organized rides is the support. There are rest stops every 10-15 miles. Bike shops ready to help you with equipment needs, Gatorade and bananas, some ibuprofen at the first aid station and, if necessary, EMS. This support along the way can make all the difference on a long ride. So, too, calling on expert help in your business makes a lot of sense. It is improbable you are an expert in everything from accounting, to law, to marketing, to search engine optimization. Just like I know I could struggle for hours to change my own bike tire, a professional can change even the most stubborn tire in a matter of minutes.
Instead of having your business take you for a ride, get your gloves on, and put your hands on the handlebars and take control.
Get Valuable Free Ideas to Grow Your Business now!
I invite you to download some FREE valuable information you can use right now to grow your revenue,
increase your profits and increase your cashflow.
"I just love your newsletter so much I had to
write and thank you for your messages. It seems they come at a time when
I need them the most, with ideas I can implement immediately."
Just fill out and submit the form and you'll get the valuable resources described below:
Click to get the Free Stuff now!
e-book: 50 Ways to Increase
Sales & Cashflow
This electronic book has ideas to increase your revenue with existing customer, expand your market
to new clients, and get repeat business. You'll learn to get paid on time, collect past due
accounts, simplify biling and how to monitor your customer's credit health. You'll get tips on sharing costs
with other businesses, getting discounts on purchases and asking for favorable payment terms from supplies. (In
pdf format)
Small Business BIG RESULTS eZine
This bi-weekly email newsletter is packed with practical tips for your business. These
tips are frequently ones you can implement yourself without any cash outlay. But you already know
you don't need a solution with a big price tag. You need creative ideas you can use right now!
Your email address will never be given out to any other person or business at any time for any reason. Period.
You have my word on it.
Click to get the Free Stuff now!
We respect your email privacy:
We do not sell or rent our electronic mailing list to anyone at anytime for any reason,
nor do we send unsolicited email. You may remove yourself from the list anytime you choose
with the unsubscribe link at the bottom of every e-zine. We have many subscribers to Cashflow
Tips for Your Business and we treat them like friends.
