It’s All Up to You
(part 2 of 2)
December 2005
Do you look for excuses to work less? Do you ever complain about how much
money you’re making?
Last month, we talked about two entrepreneurs, and what was different about
them and their success. (You can find last month’s article at
www.autosalvageconsultant.com,
or email me; I will send it to you)
Across town, another business entrepreneur, Bill, is going through much the
same kind of beginning. He’s just not making what he wants to make. But his
approach is different. He goes to work early and stays later than anyone else in
his small company. He looks at every aspect of his business. He talks to
customers, tries to learn what they really want or expect. He makes changes he
can afford to make. He goes to seminars. He participates in his trade
association. He asks his more experienced and successful peers how they did what
they did. He keeps and studies his operating metrics regularly; making changes
he believes will improve his business. He reads and reads and reads. Bill also
takes the time to clean his place of business himself (because he can’t afford
to pay someone else to do it at the time) and keeps it looking sharp as a
whistle.
After awhile, Bill notices that his revenue is going up. His shop seems
busier than it did a year ago. He’s becoming acquainted with his customers and
vendors by first name. He knows many of their likes and dislikes and does his
utmost to give them the kind of service they seem to like. He’s even checked out
his competitors, including Joe, to see how their shops look and function; he’s
talked to a few of their customers, even went in as a customer himself on a few
occasions just to see how they treated him. He always came back with new ideas,
and he always put the new ideas into play.
Two years down the road, Joe is still wondering why his paychecks are not
sufficient to pay his bills. Bill, on the other hand, is enjoying a significant
increase in sales and has hired an office manager, has a happy sales team and
two auto dismantlers working full-time. He has more free time, but, unlike Joe,
he doesn’t take it. He still gets to work before anyone else and generally
leaves after everyone else has gone home. Much of his time is spent analyzing
the way his business operates. He also spends more time developing
relationships. He takes his banker to lunch now and then, and visits his vendors
to see if there may be better ways to manage their service to him.
Joe still rides the edge of obscurity. Hardly anyone knows him; they just
know of him. He never goes to the association events. He seems jealous of his
competitors, never shares anything about the industry, and actually runs down
his competitors to his ever dwindling list of customers. He has a hundred
reasons why his business is poor: a lousy location, bad weather, lack of good
employees or any of an infinite number of excuses even though every competitor
has his own set of obstacles.
What’s the difference between these two men? Is it circumstance? Or did they
actually have something to do with their “fate”?
Bill took charge of his destiny and Joe did not. Bill took every opportunity
to learn more about his business, about his customers, about his peers, vendors
and industry. Joe did not. Joe always put complaint first and took every
opportunity to escape. Bill developed a strong work ethic. Joe became lax and
lazy, justifying his bad luck on changing times and big money competition. Yet
both operators were equally skilled, faced similar opportunities and had the
same access to resources and mentors.
Don’t forget to go the web site
for my new book,
www.greenweenies.com, to
learn all the backroom business terms. There are 1,200+ terms in over 300 pages,
with hilarious illustrations by world famous Gahan Wilson. You can register
there for your free weekly “green weenie.” If you want to know what a three
fingered booger is, or what’s in a train wreck envelope, it’s the only place to
go!
Please email if you would like me
to send previous articles.
AutoSalvageconsultant.com was formed in 2001 to help recyclers improve their
businesses. With over fifty years of experience in three staff members, the
group is THE definitive source for recyclers’ management and training needs. The
founder, Ron Sturgeon is past owner of AAA Small Car World. You can review his
resume, with skills and experience at our web site. In 2002, his book How to
Salvage Millions From Your Small Business was published to help small
business owners achieve significant success, and was recently reprinted in the
U.S., and published in China, Korea and the Czech Republic. You can learn more
about how to help your business at
www.autosalvageconsultant.com.
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