Every morning we wake with a list of items that have to be tackled that day. There’s the must do tasks, the items “that would be nice” if they got done today and the “damn!” if that happens segments of the list. Being conscientious we make notes the night before. If we are lucky we get to sleep before The Daily Show airs. Lying in bed our minds are filled with dreams and plans considering all that is to be done. We practice conflict resolution in our sleep. The next day starts long before we are fully rested and each morning the goal is to try and finish a few items before breakfast.
We are Small Business Owners.
We don’t automatically get a paycheck every two weeks. If there is no business or little revenue, we can’t pay ourselves. If it didn’t get done we have no one else to blame. We survive with our wits and hustle.
I get up at seven, yeah
And I go to work at nine
I got no time for livin’
Yes, I’m workin’ all the time
~ Rush
You’re in control of your business. Being a small business owner is risky; it is probably the most risky career path you can choose. But, with a lot of hard work – a lot of hard work – a peck of persistence and a dollop of luck, the rewards of starting your own business are excellent.
I wouldn’t have it any other way…
There’s an increase in regulation and the dreaded paperwork. It’s hard to find reliable people who will produce the same quality of work as you do. Getting organized is challenging when being the first mover is often your only advantage. Then there’s time management versus laser like focus. But, could you imagine working in any other manner?
The scene is changing rapidly but credit issuance and the economy are still slow. And as if that weren’t enough we now have new ways to deal with our customers and clients called social marketing.
A study by The Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute called Six Dimensions That Characterize Success-Oriented Small Business Owners – is based on analysis of a survey of 1,100 small businesses with between 2 and 99 employees. The Institute conducts ongoing research on what it calls “the Index of What Matters Most” to small businesses.
Top of the list for successful entrepreneurs is the ability for collaboration. Those who can delegate, build strong relationships with their management teams, employees, vendors and others are more likely to click with customers.
The other five traits frequently found in flourishing small business owners:
• Self fulfillment. Good small business owners put a high price on the fulfilment their companies provide them, relish being their own boss, and enjoy being in control of their personal income. They value “doing something for a living that I love to do,” “being able to decide how much money I make,” and “being able to have the satisfaction of creating something of value.”
• Future-focused. Small business owners who thrive are good at both short- and long-term planning. They recognize the credit and business cycles. They’re as likely to have a well thought-out plan for the day-to-day running of the business as a road map for how to run the business for years.
• Curious. Good entrepreneurs are always reading and asking questions. They want to learn everything from why a particular business failed to how to find and keep good customers.
• Tech-savvy. Perhaps not surprisingly, the best small business owners invest time and money on their company’s website and are likely to “rely a great deal on technology to help make our business more effective and efficient.”
• Action oriented. Successful founders are proactive and always “differentiating ourselves from our competitors,” survey respondents said. Entrepreneurs are not afraid of making a move even if it turns out to be wrong. They were less worried than other small business owners about the state of the economy, and more likely to look at adversity as “a kick in the rear to help you move forward.”