I have been off this blogging space, mostly working and living but like a singer, I miss the rhythm and rhyme of creating so I am back blogging again to start the fall. As summer ends again, I begin reflecting on the changes and some lessons of business and life. Five things come to mind as I have talked with budding entrepreneurs this summer.

Gut Instinct

One of the best lessons I have learned in my almost 13 years of doing business in retail is so basic: listen to myself. Right? I listen without question to my gut instincts all the time. And the best tine to do this is when things are slow. I usually take time off to listen to my gut. Your instinct can tell you more about a business idea, plan or direction most times. Take advantage of it.

Revamping is not Optional

This year, yet again, I have been doing what good business folks do, revamping my business to respond to changing times. This revamping is critical to the stability, growth and expansion of my business for the future. Some of it has been to step back and redefine what we as a business does and to allow what works well to flourish while removing things that hinder the business. It’s not easy to do so as we typically hold on to things we create too long.

Revamping has made me more clear about what I value and what I don’t and with an eye to the success of the business, it lets me clean house. The fall looks even more promising and it will blossom more with a few more risks. Have you done your revamping yet?

Some People have the Business Instinct and some people don’t 

This summer, I spent time working with a variety of entrepreneurs and discovered even more that business instinct comes in handy but it really does show up in about 2 out of 10 people. Simply, not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur, start or run a business. Truly, some many people should just work for others. 

It is often very interesting to meet the 2 entrepreneurs who have business instincts because you will have a kinship with them. It is humbling and bothersome to meet the other 8 because you remember that it takes all kinds to make a business work and sometimes there are just the followers or hands needed for a business. Which one are you? It’s time to pick a side and be who you really are.

Competition breeds Growth

Over the summer, several folks have reminded me that they are attempting to compete with me by their unusual abd adverse behaviors. And I hardly noticed it until a friend mentioned it. The irony is that I basically compete against myself, and not anyone; it was something I was taught very early as a child. Simply, I was taught to improve my skills by beating myself on the work I had done previously.

My staff reacts to competition from others and I have had to refocus them to center themselves and reorient them to understand that outside forces can be distracting as it pulls them from core and focus of what we do. I simply say what we do cannot be taken, borrowed or destroyed by anyone but ourselves. 

That’s a hard lesson to pass on but I have never been paranoid or competed against anyone but myself. Simply, I am my best or worst person to myself so coming up against me does not really do much for others because my focus is on target with my goals. Staying focus keeps my energy in check.

Be Open and Share

The last lesson of the summer has been the hardest for most people to grasp. Some of us are closed, guarded and fearful. I believe whatever will happen will be but more will happen if you are open and share what you have and do. 

Life is a gift and you have limited time here so it’s best to give and share to folks who are seeking information or knowledge. It’s up to them to act on the information and quite frankly, information is free and easily accessible, so why hoard it?

Summer ends with a bang and I am looking foward to fall with the same energy. Next time, I will share some more lessons on business decision making.