April 2005
I believe trouble comes in bunches. There’s no such thing as luck, good or bad. We all have storms in our life. Some weather the storms better than others. By working hard and being honest, you’ll find that when a storm comes your way, you will always have the money, friends and resources to see you through. Don’t count on luck to help you, and don’t bemoan it as the reason for problems.
Those things you set into habit are the things that guide you when the trouble comes. If you’re standing on firm ground through practiced moral principles and are developing sound business relationships, you’ll weather just about any storm that comes your way.
There are four simple steps in growing, improving or rebuilding a business. Most of your competitors just won’t get it. The first step is to recognize you have a problem. You have to see that there’s room for improvement. That’s where most have their downfall. Once you recognize the problem, the second step is to more closely define it. Once you’ve done that, then you devise a plan to address the issues you’ve defined. But the fourth and most difficult step is still in front of you: executing your plan. This part can be immeasurably painful because it requires a massive amount of new discipline. You’ll have to deal with a whole new sector of problems because you’re going to go beyond where you once were.
The funny part is that nearly all of your competitors won’t get it. Most know there is something amiss, the engine isn’t running an all the cylinders, and mama didn’t get her usual new car last year. They may even be piddling over a solution, but I can promise you they don’t have a plan. They haven’t committed anything to writing. It can be as simple as listing what is wrong, with the solutions, and a time line for planning. Hopefully, you will use your operating metrics to identify the problems, and whether they are bigger than a breadbox or smaller than a car, and then to track your implementation of solutions. By looking at the metrics, you can see if you are making progress.
So if you do it, guess, what? You win! They will be left behind.
So what are you waiting for?
Don’t forget to go the web site for my new book, http://www.greenweenies.com/, to learn all the backroom business terms. There are 1,200+ terms in over 300 pages, with hilarious illustrations by world famous Gahan Wilson. You can register there for your free weekly green weenie. If you want to know what a three fingered booger is, or what’s in a train wreck envelope, it’s the only place to go!
Remember, only you can make BUSINESS GREAT! Next month, more from chapter six of How to Salvage Millions from Your Small Business.
Please email if you would like me to send previous articles.
AutoSalvageconsultant.com was formed in 2001 to help recyclers improve their businesses. With over fifty years of experience in three staff members, the group is THE definitive source for recyclers’ management and training needs. The founder, Ron Sturgeon is past owner of AAA Small Car World. You can review his resume, with skills and experience at our web site. In 2002, his book How to Salvage Millions From Your Small Business was published to help small business owners achieve significant success, and was recently reprinted in the U.S., and published in China, Korea and the Czech Republic. You can learn more about how to help your business at www.autosalvageconsultant.com .You can reach us at 5940 Eden, Haltom City, TX 76117, or by calling or sending Mike Gibson or Tammy Sturgeon an email message. Mike can be reached at 817-925-8430, email Mike Gibson and Tammy can be reached at 817-999-1224 or email Tammy Sturgeon.