One lesson that has taken almost a decade to learn is this one, especially from a business perspective. It is understandable when one puts a religious perspective and gives tithe or supports a needy person but in business it takes a whole new dimension that is difficult to apply. First and foremost is the constant watch on your budget each day so you only want to spend on what is absolutely necessary and where there is a low cost option you run for it, where you can do without an expense you do without it. In short it can be absolutely confusing trying to apply this concept in business. So how did I learn my four lessons.
One day decided not to look for the cheapest design agency to do our branding, I mean it bordered almost on extravagance considering the shoe string options I had used in the past but I did it. I needed to do it for the business, I needed to give it a fresh spark of something and I knew this company would nail the job. The outcome was everything, the new design stood out, it commanded respect on its own, it spoke for you before anything else. It exuded confidence on your behalf. With this new found confidence it was a lot easier to raise the profile of client we were targeting. The more I gave others business the more they gave back to me. The trick is start small where you are and widen the circle and increase the depth.
I have always believed in paying for licenses and taxes as demanded but at times you can let some of this things slide by and you are not as timely as before especially during a dip in cash-flow over a long period of time. I once let this slide by for several months. And with this our confidence took a dip as well. We shied away from pursuing work that demanded, statutory paper work, it is only when we got back on track again that I noticed this confidence dip because as soon as we were back on track we once again started the chasing the bigger accounts.
Treating people well from the gate man/woman to the person who serves you at the bank even when things are not going as you had planned, and by this I do not mean bribing to get work but keeping you cool, remembering everyone is human and they can also be having a bad day, and just being a blessing to everyone you encounter and just bringing some sunshine into their lives in the best what you know how. Some ways I bring sunshine into someone’s life is just remembering they have a family or children, calling them up and finding out how they are doing and many more. Even when times are hard one can learn to give their time in different ways.
Passing business opportunities to your customers and suppliers and looking out for them, until you are alive to this it is difficult to pass on opportunities for others. You always feel you must pursue every opportunity even those that are out of your scope and in the process of thinking how to deliver such the opportunity passes by and no one wins. Also there is also the other side of the coin where you never see opportunities for anyone but yourself. It is a habit you form, a frequency you tune to. Everyone you touch this way will in turn start looking out for you.
Start practicing little acts of giving your supplier and customers more and see how this will have a positive impact in your business. Remember it is so easy to feel incapable or so lacking to give. When this feeling comes, work on yourself till the point you are free to give more.
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