Positive Change in Small Business

The word American is synonymous with the word entrepreneur. It seems that since the days of the fur trade, the people of America have lived and loved the life of the small business person because of the risk and independence inherent in such an undertaking. Cliché aside, the success of a small business person lives and dies with their ability to risk, change, and stand their ground against their competitors.

In undertaking a small business you are not going to be backed by a big corporate structure, nor are you in any sense "likely" to succeed in your undertaking. Perhaps this last statement is misleading. Most will consent that a fundamental similarity among the thousands of different types of small enterprises, from ice-cream parlors to dog groomers, is the accumulation of capital and the procurement of profits; it would seem that the always unpopular mission statement or list of company goals need not apply to such corporations. In terms of "success" it may just be simple enough to say: you're a small business person, you want your company to succeed therefore you want to make money. But let's not oversimplify just for the sake of ease. If, as a small business person, you are truly dedicated to the accumulation of capital as your only goal, you may logically be justified in destroying the property of competition, or being fraudulent on your tax filing.

Here, it does not need to be suggested that you shouldn't do these things, because there is an assumption that you have certain other "competing values" that would prevent you from doing so. At least, it is hoped that such competing values exist. This serves as an important first illustration, in the world of small ventures, money may be a lot of things, but it is not everything. Make it known to yourself and to others what the values of your company are. Find a way to make everything you want your company to do into a list of goals and values that are posted visibly. You and everyone else will benefit as a result. This unearthing and externalizing of personal and professional values may seem awkward or uncomfortable -- deal with it; face it as an industry challenge. As in relationships, it is always risky to say something you really mean, but until you take this same risk in business, you aren't really in the game.

To the small business person, change and conviction are two sides of the same priceless coin. Understood as a relentless holding on to a certain goal, the idea of conviction may lead you to the faulty conclusion that you should risk your goals once then keep them the same. This is not the case. Stand by your goals when you make them, know that they are important to you, but do not think they are absolutely perfect or eternal because, though they may be based in thinking that is timeless, your venture goals will be made by you and as such are subject to misinterpretation or imperfection. The resolution here is a "bend but do not break" approach. Be willing to adapt to your business environment (this is your strength as a undersized company) but do not compromise a fundamental firm goal until you are willing to take this new direction as a new goal. If that planned new goal is as simple as "stay open-minded", then make sure you advertise that assertion as a visible and known part of your company plan.

With small business, personal accountability, responsibility and will power will drive the success of your endeavor. Like the first Americans, yours is a project built on the pursuit of liberty and personal inspiration -- put as much thought into the direction and nature of your corporation as you would your own personal life goals and you will have nothing but the conquerable world to stand in your way.

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Positive Change in Small Business