To Be a Success in Business, Be Daring, Be Driven, Be Different

“To be a success in business, be daring, be driven, be different.” That’s what my fortune cookie said the other night after a business meeting at a Chinese restaurant.  I took a picture of it and saved it because it really made me stop and think. Are most business owners daring, driven, and different? Sure, most of us are constantly thinking of new ways to generate sales, make connections, and seal deals.  But that’s not all we have to do.  We’ve got to be fearlessly pushing boundaries and knocking down barriers in order to stay relevant to our customers.  If not, we’re likely to fade into oblivion.

Be daring

Getting outside of your comfort zone is pretty uncomfortable for most of us.  But sadly, it’s completely necessary if you’re going to grow you business.  Never accept the idea that you’ve always done things in a certain way and so that’s how you’re going to do it forever.  The days when you can get away with that kind of thing are over.  Technology advances so quickly and times change so much that stagnation guarantees that you’ll become yesterday’s news in no time at all.

Having the courage to try new things means that you’ll be taking a few risks here and there, but the payoff could turn out to be big!  At the very least, you’ll be able to keep up with the times.

Be driven

Time is the most precious commodity of all.  Recognize that your customers are just as busy as you are, so find ways to streamline your processes and hit deadlines before they actually come up. Don’t you love getting a call saying that something promised for a Friday afternoon is ready on a Thursday morning instead?  Your customers do, too!  So, try to go above and beyond for them every day and they’ll come back to you time and again.

Even though you do your best every day, you’re still going to have some tough days.  Don’t let those days make you wonder if you should give up your business and go do something else instead.  We all have dark days, we all struggle, and we all think about throwing in the towel every once in a while. The key to success is not to let these dark times bring you down.  Keep your head down and power through until you’re out of the tunnel!

Be different

I recently read an article on Mashable about an ice cream store in Croatia that sells Facebook-flavored ice cream.  It’s just plain vanilla with some Facebook blue syrup mixed in, but people were immediately drawn to it and it’s become a big hit! It just goes to show you that being unique can come with a big payoff.  It made this little ice cream shop stand out and get international attention. I’m not really sure if it’s going to get them in some legal trouble, but I just admire their creativity. Business owners need to find ways to stand out in an overcrowded marketplace. If competitors are doing it, go in another direction and celebrate your uniqueness.  Never criticize the choices others make, but always highlight what sets you apart.

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