By Rieva Lesonsky
As we all know being a small business owner is not easy. Our days are filled with incredible highs and unfathomable lows. Do you remember your startup days? You were likely so filled with optimism that you met even the bad days head on, not allowing anything to slow you down or stop you.
And then the (almost) inevitable happens, the hurdles you previously navigated with ease now loom like Mt. Everest. You can’t get through them, over them or around them. In short, you’re stuck.
Getting stuck happens to the best of us. The true test is what you do next. Yes, it’s hard to get unstuck. That’s why Barry Moltz wrote How to Get Unstuck: 25 Ways to Get Your Business Growing Again. Moltz has seen business from both sides—he’s worked for corporations and is an entrepreneur, author, speaker and investor. He knows why small business owners get stuck—and knows how to get you moving forward again.
If getting stuck strikes close to home, Moltz, who (full disclosure) is a friend of mine (and I wrote the forward for the book) offers some insights and solutions:
On why business owners get stuck.
Business owners are constantly searching for new customers and revenue, worrying about cash flow and struggling to maintain their staffs. Sometimes it feels like they’re on a never-ending hamster wheel. As a result, both their energy and interest can wane.
On how entrepreneurs try to fix the situation.
They keep looking for that magic bullet—that tipping point. But they never truly make a commitment to the small changes that will get them unstuck. They keep looking to hit the home run.
On what areas are most problematic for small business owners.
There are six major areas of concern: sales and marketing, management and leadership, money, productivity, social media and customer service. Business owners may have some experience in some of these areas, but they’re ill-equipped to deal with most of them.
On the specific things that “trap” business owners.
They often let today’s emergencies dictate their plans. They start each day by checking Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Their daily plan falls apart 15 minutes after arriving at the office. They are addicted to multitasking and constantly let themselves be interrupted.
Instead, pick two tasks that must get done—and do them before you check your email, voicemail or social networks.
A lot of business owners have a fear of falling behind or missing out on a great opportunity. So they never take a real break or vacation. For them, success is about being busy, not about being productive.
On fear and failure.
Business owners are so afraid of being a failure, so they stop taking risks. And they’re afraid of hearing the word “no.” They take it as a personal rejection when prospects reject their products or services.
On managing employees.
A lot of business owners don’t hire smartly. They’re afraid of hiring people who know more than they do. And they hire in a hurry. They don’t ask job candidates about career goals, and they don’t determine if the prospect would fit with their corporate culture.
Then they make it worse by not firing employees who are doing a bad job.
It’s smarter to hire people who complement your skill set. Together you’ll make a stronger team.
Moltz offers a lot more solutions in the book. Not every one of his solutions will resonate with you, but there’s a lot here that will make you a better, smarter business owner and get you back on the path to prosperity.
