It’s been a hot summer. We’ve worn light clothes, sought out swimming pools, pushed air conditioners to their limit, and generally avoided melting in the sun. For a very, very short time many of us will be rewarded with what we might consider perfect weather. Then, there is winter. Different clothes are piled on, we curl up in blankets, push heaters to their limit, and generally find ways to keep from becoming blocks of ice. All while we wait for another ever so short period of climate bliss. As the seasons change, we adjust. It’s nature, and we just adapt so that we can move along with it. Some people struggle with embracing change though.
Sounds a lot like running a business to me. If you are one that fears change, then consider carefully whether or not owning a business is for you. There is a common saying that goes “what got you here will not get you there”. Those that are successful business owners understand that change is the nature of things. If you embrace constantly changing dynamics and adapt to new, sometimes unpredictable variables, you will be much more likely to continue growing your business over a long period of time. It’s sort of silly to not put a coat on when it is 30 degrees outside just because it was 60 degrees just a few seemingly short weeks ago. You accept that weather changes and that is its nature. Failing to accept that same nature in your business is not only short sighted but a direct compromise to its health.
Some of the most common areas we see business owners rebelling against adapting is in the areas of marketing and hiring. What gets the attention of a potential client one day may be totally ignored a few months later. What resonated with one contact may sound completely unappealing to another. A person hired today will likely not be with you this time next year. What looks like a great addition to your team now may seem like a ridiculous choice in the weeks ahead. That is the nature of business too. You can get frustrated by it, let it stagnate your growth, or maybe even push you to giving up. Or you can accept, adapt, and advance.
There are many concepts in business that never change. You will always need to make more than you spend to be profitable, the customer will always need to be serviced well, and you will always need a product that someone is willing to buy. The variables happen within and below each of those big picture concepts. If set it and forget it is your style of operating, you might think twice about being your own boss. If you are comfortable being uncomfortable and see change as the force that moves you forward, then you may very well be a "man for all seasons" and ready to start that business.