I shared a conversation with a fellow business owner the other day. He asked me if I noticed anything since starting my business. “I have,” I remarked. “Almost everyone I talk to is too busy to talk about their business.” My friend said, “I know what you mean. I tried to give someone money the other day and they were too busy to talk or even call me back.”
It’s sad to see entrepreneurs start a business only to become employees. They should just stay employees. They’d get paid nearly the same and have fewer headaches and get to spend time with their families.
So many small business people are so mired in the day to day tasks, they don’t have time for strategy.
I speculate there has never been a better time than right now for an individual to own a company. I further speculate that there has never been a worse time for small businesses who don’t have time to think strategically about how to grow their business.
Competition is exponentially more fierce today because of the global marketplace and the forces at work to fuel it. Your competition doesn’t exist just in your community but all over the world. Small business owners think they just have to work harder and provide better service in order to survive.
While that may be true, I don’t know many small business people that are truly providing better service. They are too busy being a part of the machine that makes the business run to really care about producing satisfaction.
And if you’re too busy to take someone’s money, why are you in business in the first place?
Are you too busy to take the money?
You’re so right Vince! In fact, I almost talked myself out of a new client last week, because I’m already so busy. I had to stop, take a deep breath, smile, sit down, look them in the eyes and focus only on them for the next 30 minutes. Now THAT felt right.
Great blog post… better reminder. : )
@alexisceule
Alexis!
Thank you for the comment! What do you like most about being a “socialmamapreneur?”
Spot on. I see this happen with some of our clients … and unfortuneatly I have fallen in the same trap time to time. Thanks for the reality check.
@jillivinilly
Jill,
It’s everywhere it seems. It looks like a “control” thing but I speculate its more of a “lack of trust” thing. Businesspeople aren’t trusting others to do what what needs to be done.
Thank you for the comment!
Great article! Thanks for reminding us all what is important. It’s too easy to fall into the routine and forget all of those things one was trying to achieve in the first place when one starts a venture. I appreciate your thoughtful insight.
Simon,
You’re welcome! Purpose is a powerful thing. I speculate that for many of those I am speaking with, their purpose is to be busy and not grow their business.