A Wednesday thought……’Challenges are never ending’
Brexit, Global Pandemic, Raw material shortages, Supply chain delays, Labour shortages, Energy price rises, Inflation, Crypto crashes….. I could go on…
If you have been in business over the past few years, you have likely had to navigate some if not all of the above challenges. It feels never-ending. But in reality, there is rarely a time that economies are not experiencing stress or turbulence. Even in what could be considered ‘good times’ there are constant pressures to keep up with changing customer trends and technological advances to keep your business competitive and maintain growth.
If I have learned anything over the past few years since I embarked on establishing my own business, it is not to allow external, and largely uncontrollable factors to deter you from getting up every day and driving your business forward. As the saying goes, it is an ‘ill wind that blows no good’ so even in what can feel like the most difficult times, there are always opportunities to grow.Critical to your ability to keep pushing on however, there are a few key things that I recommend you consider….
> Be good and trustworthy to your people, suppliers, and clients. Don’t burn bridges and as much as possible maintain friendships and relationships with those you trust and who have been good to you. Ireland is a small place and your name is everything,
> Be sure that at all times there is… A). a need for what you do, B). the market is willing to pay for it, and C) you either enjoy or are good at doing it. If either of the above is missing in your business model you could struggle.
>Be willing to innovate. What you are doing today, might not be relevant tomorrow. How open are you to learning new ideas, skills, and technologies that can allow you to pivot and react to changing consumer needs? Change is never easy, but having an open mindset to both challenge yourself and continue to meet the ever changing market needs will rarely see you wrong.
Have a good finish to the week.
Dick