My Fleep:
Finance
Finance
How Unique is Your Business?
All business owners like to believe that their business is
in someway unique or unlike any other business. At its core
though, how different are small businesses really? Nearly
all small businesses struggle with relatively similar
issues. Most owners wear multiple hats and have had to
become jack of all trades in order to succeed and survive
in the business world. While it is important to recognize
the differences between various small businesses it is
equally important to recognize the similarities.
Small businesses often struggle with the same issues, and
while its important to establish your own policies, do not
be afraid to talk to and learn from other small business
owners.
The best way to meet other small business owners is to join
the local Chamber of Commerce, Industry Organization or
Trade Association. However, joining is not enough, you must
participate in events, newsgroups and meetings. You will
not learn through osmosis! Trade associations, newsgroups
and social business functions are great places to learn
from the experience of other small business owners. Engage
other business owners and share the lessons that you have
learned.
Small Business owners should make an effort to learn from
both the successes and failures from other small business
owners. If you encounter someone who has not succeeded, do
not assume that there is nothing to learn, nothing could be
further from the truth. Often you can learn just as much
about what not to do, from a failed business ventures, as
what to do from a successful business.
While it is important to learn from others it is also
important that you do not allow, the experience of others
to dictate all of your business making decisions. While the
information gleaned from talking to other small business
owners might help shape decisions and influence them, it
should not be the end all be all.
Do not assume that just because something worked for
someone else that it will work for you. Just because ABC
Landscaping had a great return on investment for their
advertising campaign in the local newspaper does not mean
that a ABC Travel, with tours in France will have equal
success advertising using the same medium.
In the same regard when discussing ideas with other
business owners consider the source of the information.
Does the owner have a thriving business or is it struggling
to make ends meet. Every piece of information gleaned in
discussions related small businesses discussions should be
weighed an important factor to consider is the source and
credibility of the information.
Owning a small business can be a fulfilling but also a
potentially lonely proposition. There is no need to be
isolated. Reachout to others that have faced similar issues
and struggles. Use the experience of other small business
onwners to guide your decision making. With a little luck
your business will thrive.
----------------------------------------------------
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll
http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing,
publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon
manages marketing for RecordForAll
http:/www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing
software.
All business owners like to believe that their business is
in someway unique or unlike any other business. At its core
though, how different are small businesses really? Nearly
all small businesses struggle with relatively similar
issues. Most owners wear multiple hats and have had to
become jack of all trades in order to succeed and survive
in the business world. While it is important to recognize
the differences between various small businesses it is
equally important to recognize the similarities.
Small businesses often struggle with the same issues, and
while its important to establish your own policies, do not
be afraid to talk to and learn from other small business
owners.
The best way to meet other small business owners is to join
the local Chamber of Commerce, Industry Organization or
Trade Association. However, joining is not enough, you must
participate in events, newsgroups and meetings. You will
not learn through osmosis! Trade associations, newsgroups
and social business functions are great places to learn
from the experience of other small business owners. Engage
other business owners and share the lessons that you have
learned.
Small Business owners should make an effort to learn from
both the successes and failures from other small business
owners. If you encounter someone who has not succeeded, do
not assume that there is nothing to learn, nothing could be
further from the truth. Often you can learn just as much
about what not to do, from a failed business ventures, as
what to do from a successful business.
While it is important to learn from others it is also
important that you do not allow, the experience of others
to dictate all of your business making decisions. While the
information gleaned from talking to other small business
owners might help shape decisions and influence them, it
should not be the end all be all.
Do not assume that just because something worked for
someone else that it will work for you. Just because ABC
Landscaping had a great return on investment for their
advertising campaign in the local newspaper does not mean
that a ABC Travel, with tours in France will have equal
success advertising using the same medium.
In the same regard when discussing ideas with other
business owners consider the source of the information.
Does the owner have a thriving business or is it struggling
to make ends meet. Every piece of information gleaned in
discussions related small businesses discussions should be
weighed an important factor to consider is the source and
credibility of the information.
Owning a small business can be a fulfilling but also a
potentially lonely proposition. There is no need to be
isolated. Reachout to others that have faced similar issues
and struggles. Use the experience of other small business
onwners to guide your decision making. With a little luck
your business will thrive.
----------------------------------------------------
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll
http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing,
publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon
manages marketing for RecordForAll
http:/www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing
software.