We often hear that we’ve got to experience things firsthand before we can master them. Aristotle said “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” He’s telling us that we need to get our hands dirty in order to gain mastery of a subject, but that doesn’t mean that first-hand experience …

Just because it’s worked before, doesn’t mean that it will keep working. Things change all around us, every day of our lives. Nothing stays the same forever. What makes us think that our business will? Change is inevitable. Growth is optional. John C. Maxwell

We all try our hardest to make what we do look easy. We smooth off the rough edges. We stick to the script. We plan incessantly until everything’s perfectly timed to the second. We’ve got the whole thing down to a science. But, maybe we don’t have to. Would it be just as impressive if some of the warts remained? …

Knowing exactly what we’re doing is a wonderful feeling. Being in the groove. Muscle memory. Following procedure. But our well-worn routine can also be a place for us to hide. Instead of going out on a limb, trying something different, or being edgy, we simply fall back on what’s already working. “If it’s not broken, why fix it?” we ask. …

Too many small business owners can’t make the jump. They get stuck in the “it’s my business” mindset. Even though they’re growing, expanding, and hiring new employees, they just can’t make the shift. They keep doing the same work that got them where they are now. They’re answering the phones, they’re sending the emails, they’re cooking the meals, cleaning the …

We’re all guilty of concentrating all our efforts on bettering our product: the thing that we’re selling. Whether we’re selling a service (acting as a real estate agent) or delivering a product (like a home inspection report), we put a tremendous amount of energy into making sure that we’re providing the best product possible. And we’re doing it all wrong. …

Being boring pays off. Yes, I know that seems like a stupid thing to say. After all, who wants to do/see/hear the same thing, over and over again? Our customers, that’s who. Our repeat clients pay us because they want what we’re offering. They know what they’re going to get, they’re happy with what it is, and they want the …

Customers are the lifeblood of our business. (Especially when times are tough,) we can’t afford to lose any good ones. So, why do some business owners go out of their way to prove to their paying customers that they know more than their customer do? Feeding your own ego may be satisfying in the moment, but it doesn’t feel better …

Running a business is often compared to being in a war. We’re fighting against our competitors, each of us trying to win the fight for market supremacy. We think that the opponent is our competition are that we’re going into battle with them to win the spoils of war (all the customers). In reality, the fight is much closer to …