Ideas

I'm still reading and taking a crazy amount of notes about the book "The Most Successful Small Business In The World." I haven't shared it with you because it has been sitting by the bed for me to read and write about before bed. My computer is downstairs. Somehow, that was just a problem for me.

Well, I have on the 6th Principle, but I still haven't shared the 2nd with you!

The 2nd Principle is that a small business is no more effective than the idea upon which it is built.



Wow! That is a huge statement! Gerber talks about how most people start a business for the same reasons they started a job. For work and income. However, we don't change the way we look at work. We are still working, but now we work for ourselves.

In this chapter, he states that if we build our own small business for no other reason than for work and income, it will never be anything more. Our business will suffer under the constant strain of businesses and we will suffer along with it. We (and our beloved business) will become tired and bitter. We will become the victim of customer abuse (which will happen) and we will never be able to create the kind of living we think we deserve.

Photo by: adihrespati

So...change the idea! Do not start a business to make money. Start a business with an idea. Start your business (or change the way you view your business) with an idea that is worthy of growing. Start with some idea that is just waiting to be done. Take that aggravating idea that is waiting to get out and do something with it. Make your business about more than money or just making good stuff.

I think this is where I have become stuck. I make good stuff. I make great stuff. I didn't start out my business just to have a job and extra income. I started because I wanted to do something different. I wanted to make skin care products that are good for your skin. I wanted to make things that could be tailored to individual needs. I have ideas! I know where I want to end up! I got stuck anyway.

How did it happen? I got caught up in the day-to-day grind. Customer wants this; I make this. Customer wants that; I make that. Ooh, I like that scent, I should use it and make sure that I have one of that scent in everything I make! I got an idea and I went with it. I got caught up.

Now, it is time to get un-caught up. I have made enough scents that I am happy with the selection I have. I offer enough variety that my customers have choices and I am not overextended. I receive requests all the time. Not special orders, those I would do. Just requests for scents I should offer. Well, I have one person requesting this one scent that nobody else wants; I have to be honest and tell them that I can't do that. I have people ask why I don't make bath bombs or candles or this or that. Mainly, I'm not interested in making those things. I have to stop making things just because someone out there would like it.

It is time to take my idea and make it happen. I'm not doing this just to make money and have a business. I have my idea. I will make my idea a reality!

What is your idea? How would you change what you are doing to fit your idea?