Over the past several months I have had the honor and privilege to interview a number of business owners, both solo entrepreneurs and business owners who have had large distribution companies with lots of employee.
While each of these people had their own perspective and own experiences when it came to business struggles each of them shared something in common, a firm belief in the value of consistency.
I can tell you from my own experiences as an employee the bosses that showed up to work everyday consistently having a positive attitude and a level head when problems would arise were some of the most successful and enjoyable managers I had. As a business owner that same consistency will begin to show itself in the experiences that your employees have and your customers as well.
As I write this we are now several months into the covid-19 crisis that has shut down, drained, and outright destroyed many small business owners dreams and businesses. For those who have survived, especially those in public facing businesses, the struggle has been real. They have been constantly pivoting their business and networking. It’s the reason some of them are still around. They consistantly get up and figure things out each day. They reach out to someone new. They call someone up they haven’t talked to in a while. They make some great content so people can order online. Even mustering up the energy to call one person a month is still 7 a week!
Even in the best of times a person can wake up and have a discouraging day or week or month. The thing that really sets apart the businesses and the business owner that win is keeping those dips as short as possible and consistently showing up each day to move the ball forward.
As we have been growing our content marketing business based here in Phoenix Arizona, it's been a challenge to continually rethink the kinds of content we make and the means in which we make that content. We have gone from doing in-person video podcasts to mostly virtual. We have gone from having meetings as a group together in my home to the quarantine virtual zoom meeting. (Anyone sick of zoom yet?) Every day we try to manufacturer not only beautiful content but hope for the people in our community that need it.
I would encourage you in the next couple of months not to shut off yourself emotionally from what's happening but push yourself to consistently show up and get something done each day to move your business forward.
No matter how little the progress, 31 small steps still makes for a better month than throwing in the towel because you no longer have the energy and emotional stamina to make huge moves.
Stay safe and successful out there!
Steven Burkhart