THROUGH THE EYES OF OTHERS

Have you ever visited with another small business owner, and as he tells you about his business your mind sends you messages as to how this person can improve his business? Your eyes have no preconceived ideas about how this business has been marketed in the past, thus you are working with a clean slate and are able to see things from a different perspective.

I have been blessed with the ability to listen to the pains that many small business owners have experienced and provided solutions to eliminate many of them. There has also been a common theme in many of my blogs about having a mentor and/or a peer group to support you on your journey.

There is another issue. Even with support (recommendation) from another source, many small business owners may not follow them for several reasons:

· “What can this person tell me about my business? I started it and I know more than they can possibly know.”
· “That sounds like a good idea, but I don’t want to expend the effort, time or money to implement it. There must be an easier way.”

These answers are like someone working in a closet without any windows. Without outside light it is impossible to see what you are working on. Someone else’s solution, from an outside perspective is, in many cases, the very solution that has been hidden from you.

Be aware that in order to grow a successful, profitable and sustainable business you must have an open heart and mind and must be willing to work 10 times harder than you ever thought.

There is much to gain from another person’s perspective.

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Tips & Advice by Nick Petra, CFP – Founder of Strategic Duck and BizQuack