Whether you’re a professional copywriter or a business/website owner writing your own copy, you probably consider yourself an entrepreneur. You also likely have certain natural personality traits that might actually cause your business to fail.
In 2007, Discover Card conducted an independent survey to shed light on the characteristics of the 22 million small business owners in the United States. The number one trait common to small business owners? “Independence is their prime motivation.”
Studies have confirmed that while there are many personality characteristics common to most entrepreneurs, a very independent spirit is the one trait shared by each and every one. Most small business owners would not give up the freedom that comes along with owning their business to work for someone else, even if it meant making more money.
But there is a danger to being too independent. This one trait of extreme independence can be the biggest roadblock to success for entrepreneurs. No one person has all the answers. No one person can work alone, always aware of potential problems or roadblocks. Everyone has their blind spots.
Small business owners have to be aware of the need to seek out a trusted network. Entrepreneurs need a place where they can discuss issues with others in a similar situation. Sometimes, when working alone, it is very easy to continue down the wrong path until suddenly you discover what a costly error you have made. Working alone is like that.
Another challenge that entrepreneurs face was discussed by Michael Gerber in his classic book “The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most New Businesses Fail and What to Do About It”. Gerber talked about the importance of working ON your business and not IN your business.
But how do you change from being a day-to-day business “technician”, dealing with customers and putting out fires, to spending time as a visionary executive looking at your business from the outside in? The best way: schedule committed time to work “on” your business!
If you are like most entrepreneurs, who have created the “busy business noise” in which it can be difficult to even hear yourself think, you will have to structure your time in such a way that the urgencies of the moment will not deter you from this important work. You and your business will benefit from a structure which ensures that you use the time you allocated for exactly what you intended, regardless of the emergency du jour.
Are you really committed to being successful by working on your business instead of just in your business? –Do you want to prevent failure which so many others have experienced? One super-quick way is to visit Business Success Café.
In just 20 minutes every other week at the Business Success Café you will learn from business experts (including me!) who will provide you with tips to help you work on your business. There is no cost. This is just one of many ways you can start to build habits that will cause your business to thrive.
Schedule time for you just as if you were a client. Whether it’s something as simple as watching short, 20-minute webcasts or revamping your long-overdue business plan, the important thing is you’re taking proactive action that can mean the difference between success and failure.
