Solutions and help for businesses, communities and organizations

It’s a New Year, and You’re Not the Problem

Jan 2, 2019 | Small Business Success

Here’s my first blog post of 2019 that will help you start off right.

I had a revelation during the holidays. It came while I was browsing in some bookstores (shop local, right?), in their business book sections.

It had never occurred to me before, but I realized there are a ton of business books that are written from the point-of-view that there’s something very wrong with how I’m operating my life, and consequently, if I want my business to improve, I better change.

In one store’s business book section, I found these titles:

“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”
“Gaining Control”
“Disciplined Dreaming”
“What’s Holding You Back?”
“Become a Better You”

I think these titles are pretty clear: If my business is going to grow, I need to be more effective and be less out-of-control.  I can admit maybe I do need to be more disciplined, but disciplined while I’m dreaming? And IS there something that’s holding me back, because it might be my feeling that I’m doing OK, when maybe there really IS something in me that needs to be a lot better.

These were all pretty sobering book titles.  The more I looked at them, the more I realized the message is: I’m lacking, I’m deficient, and it’s me that’s the problem. I’m the reason my business is struggling and if I want it to improve, I better change.

But then, I started thinking about the thousands of business owners I’ve met over the last 30+ years, and I have to tell you: Most of them are talented, disciplined, and they work extremely hard, putting in ungodly hours trying to realize their goals.

And the reason their businesses aren’t more successful and profitable ISN’T them.

None of these books address the simple problem of strategically growing your business revenue.  In my case, people come to me because they want to become a Destination Business, a business that outdraws their competition and pulls in more customers than a typical business.

And all the inner-reflection and personal improvement won’t help a business be more dominant.

In order to do that, you have to follow a series of steps (not unlike building a house) and each step builds on the other, all with the same goal of pulling in more locals, pulling in more out-of-the-area customers, and minimizing those actions that consumers ignore.

So, go ahead and make your New Year’s Resolutions, if you want. Go ahead and get introspective and contemplate your shortcomings, if you find that valuable.  You can even go and pick up any or all of these books that I’ve listed.

But if you’re not happy with your 2018 year-end revenue figures and you’d like to be more satisfied with your bottom line by the end of 2019, here’s the easiest way to achieve this:

Registration’s Open for Destination BootCamp

We have seven (7) Destination BootCamp classes open for 2019.  My 2½ day workshop, only held in Longmont, Colorado, is where you can learn my entire 14-step Destination strategy that I’ve been teaching since September 2002.

The sooner you get out here to Colorado, the sooner you’ll be back at your business, putting what you’ve learned into practice.

Plus, you won’t have to read a single book to learn how to change the trajectory of your business (you might want to, but you don’t have to.)

One more thing: Want your business to change fast? Well, our first Destination BootCamp class starts in 27 days, and you can see all of our Destination BootCamp dates by going to www.DestinationBootCamp.com.

Of course, if you have questions and you’d like to talk to me about how the BootCamp can help your business, just call our office and we can talk.

One Last Thing: My #1 Business Resolution

Most of you know this, but I have not been a consistent blogger in 2018. Too busy, too much travel, too little time…and too many excuses.

For 2019, I resolve to be better (you heard it here first).

That’s it!  Thanks, everyone!

Jon

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