Do you know enough?

Most of us question ourselves about the amount of knowledge we have with regard to challenges that we’ll have to overcome. And this cannot be prevented through inaction, but because we act on it by how we approach the hurdles in our businesses.

There should be large amount of narrow-mindedness as this sustains instinct and some of the most entrepreneurs successful I’ve met maintain their instinct. It is an energy that they instill in things they do and how they do them.

The obstacles we overcome translate into experience, later become assertiveness and eventually the principles by which govern ourselves/companies. So, in essence you probably know enough to get you through today, this week and probably the year.

Through consistency, sharing experiences and acknowledging greatness. I have met many interesting people, all of whom, have contributed greatly to my being as well as the developments implemented in my business thereafter.

Now I realize that the fear with which I stifle myself actually caused stagnation more than growth.

Have you discovered your true essence or is it buried somewhere under your fears of what might not be?

What have been your experiences?

Are your basics in place?

I have found that most new businesses, mine included, focus on impementing fancy and detailed "clutter" to their companies. The fact that precedes all else is that the basics work all the time.

By the basics here I mean being consistent in offering your service and keeping clients happy. If you are not in the business of forecasting then leave it to the experts.

The difficult thing with new businesses is having the confidence to know you've got a winning formula, but instead of applying this long enough we often shift focus.

Work on the premise that a client is someone who either has or is using your services. Not someone who promises you a bigger pie than what you currently have, if you give your services.

Are you prepared?

With the festive season almost upon us, it’s time once again to review the plan for the next few months. For me this is a time to formulate a strategy that will inspire more people to take part in their own development. It’s the busiest time of year in terms planning my execution strategy.

How is everyone else doing it?

I find myself doing everything on my own at this time year with people caught up in other things they do. During the year I’m in endless meetings that sometimes don’t even allow time on other elements of the company.

It’s crunch time once again.

What’s in a name?

I’m a regular reader of Guy Kawasaki’s blog http://blog.guykawasaki.com/ which does a lot of justice for business owners and has applicable information.

His recent post on business naming I found was valuable in that most names are taken even distinct phrases, but we are in a time where people associate with companies which compliment them. So, we all need to be careful when naming a new company as this might be the only thing you are remembered by.

Now, there are even online applications that make this process easier than I would imagine it once was. How do you want to be remembered by a possible client? This for me is very significant, because I’m out to make a change in the mindset of people – a shift regardless how small – and a name can start this process.

The most popular brands are the ones we all talk about and thanks to Google alert – you can now whenever your name is mentioned on the internet. If a name can cause more people to engage in conversation about you, then more of us will be interested in what you offer.

No such thing as . . .

I had a lengthy chat this morning with a lady who is in the branding of small business. The point of the discussion was that all businesses should create a brand that speaks for them.

However, she meant that fancy signposts create a brand and that this material becomes descriptive of your business. To a certain degree this is correct, but even a business that doesn’t have such marketing material can still make astounding impact.

It’s the conversation you create around yourself that makes all the difference.
We all have to find a way of creating talk around our business, first as a concept and through the service offered. It’s the experience people have of your brand that speaks more than any material. And if you manage to have clients approach you based on a business card – but crap service offered - then their network won’t use your service.

You are the ultimate change in all there currently is. . .

Fludity is a resource

I have always been looking for business development resources that are at a centralized place and – to my surprise – there wasn’t such a place, which caused to continue my search. What I didn’t realize at the time is that, this wasn’t entrepreneurial of me, as most successful entrepreneurs would say, “create your own opportunities”.

Research then led me to a book I always refer to called The Bootstrapper’s Bible by Seth Godin and this work, unlike most business reads I’ve stumbled upon, is actually designed with a new business owner in mind. In fact Seth tells you exactly how to construct a business that will be long lasting – providing you have a business idea - and what to look for.

It proves that resourcefulness is what separates a true entrepreneur from the rest. Some of the things that make a small business thrive over larger competitors are:

· Fluidity
· The ease with which your entity can move and take advantage of opportunities.
· Closeness with your market.
· Adaptability of new ideas in the business.
· Decision-making is easier and can be made by one individual.

My view is that clients are changing daily and gone are those where mass-production makes a few people loads of money. People are individuals and have to be treated as such, which is what I find distinguishes Seth Godin from a large pool of authors and this time from any other.

What have you been captivated by in any company? Or changes that occur which benefit new entrepreneurs. In my case it has been the creativity of individuals such as Seth and Richard Mulholland - who continually improve their last accomplishment.
Your fluidity means that you are not tied down to convention and are able to turn things for you growth. But how many of us are able to do this? Those who do, however, are the many that actually change service provision as we’ve come to know it and a small business affords you this.

The quality of your network

I have been frustrated at how slow my business progress hass been until I realized that my network also contributed to this. It is a fact the people you associate with contribute to your mindset and just by improving your association your income has the potential to double.

So, as a means of improving my network, meeting like-minded people and assisting other people to improve their businesses I established www.aquanova.co.za

How have you been changing your business?

Now things just happen and continually grow even without my effort - at times - but there are other online resources that I utilize.

If you realize that there is more to your company than what is available to the public then go to http://www.aquanova.co.za/events.html and attend the upcoming seminar by aQuaNova.