The fundamentals of business haven't changed much over time, even in today's digital age.
Much of what business leaders do daily is repetitive and mundane, involving what I call the WRR (wash, rinse, repeat) cycle. Sustainable growth requires time, effort, and a willingness to embrace the less glamorous aspects of business.
Over the years, we continue to observe many business leaders seeking quick fixes and with questionable approaches because the traditional path to growth feels tedious and slow. They're tempted by lifestyle goals that demand immediate results, leading them to abandon fundamental processes and pursue “too good to be true” shortcuts promised by social media gurus, TikTok memes and well-meaning but ill-equipped friends or relatives. They are led to believe that all they have to do is build their personal brand overnight and their products will sell themselves.
Entrepreneurs are increasingly investing significant sums in sessions with marketing gurus and influencers, hoping for instant success. These gurus often peddle “real” stories of transformation and those who follow their “plan” will achieve quick success beyond their wildest dreams. The only people who fail at the “plan” are those who do not follow it to a tee. The reality is, however, that true success stems from hard work, perseverance, and focused action. A deeper look at the success of the guru's followers, often reveals a darker truth.
If you're feeling disenchanted with the grind of business, it's time to reignite your passion and shift your perspective. When building a business, there are no shortcuts to delivering exceptional products or services, driven by a clear mission and purpose, supported by talented individuals who prioritize innovation and customer satisfaction. There are some things you can do today to get yourself on the right path.
Here are some actionable steps to rekindle your passion and embrace the less glamorous side of business:
Get Better at Setting and Achieving Relevant Goals: I can’t tell you how many business owners fly by the seat of their pants when it comes to goal setting, rarely writing anything down and setting vague parameters on what success looks like. Goals should challenge you to drive your business forward and incrementally improve your outcomes. We recommend starting by using one of the many SMART goal templates you can find online and document three to five goals you would like to achieve in the short term, mid-term and long term. Then take the time to break these goals into easily achievable steps working backward from what it looks like to achieve your goal.
Activate Your Mission, Vision and Values in Every Decision You Make: Too often we run into business leaders who are making decisions without considering their mission, vision and values (not to mention those who operate without these fundamentals at all). This is what leads businesses to overreach and go down product and service rabbit holes that take them off course. One of our clients, a provider of custom leather apparel, found that a much larger brand was able to sell mass-manufactured products from China at a great profit. Our client considered, for a time, that they too should start selling products from China until we pointed out that their core purpose, that thing that made them so successful in the first place, included the word “custom”. They have not given into the temptation to stray from their core purpose since. Their focus is back on making the custom leather apparel that their core purpose speaks of and their customers rave about.
Self Develop: World-class athletes tweak their approach, improve their mindset and work through every aspect of their training to gain every small advantage to beat their previous best performance. Business leaders should be doing the same. If you’re not reading, you’re not learning. If you’re not planning to add to your skills toolbox, you’re not planning to grow your business. If you’re not challenging yourself, your competitors will find it less of a challenge to overtake your market. We have found that many of today’s entrepreneurs, possibly due to the pressure of creating their brand and appearing in social media videos, are better at taking care of their physical health by going to the gym regularly, eating healthy and monitoring their overall health better. However, we find entrepreneurs spend little to no time increasing their knowledge through reading and research. There is one caveat to this. Many people do read self-help books. These books go heavy on a system, like starting your work day at 5 am. They are less adept, however, at making you smarter through research, data and insight. Read books and articles that teach you something.
While the repetitive nature of business processes may seem a bit of a bore, it's essential for sustainable growth. Overnight success stories are rare. There is an old saying that overnight success takes about 25 years. Much more common in success stories we see is a focus on embracing the journey through robust and realistic goal setting, developing your skills, and staying committed to your purpose and vision. By challenging yourself and embracing the grind, you'll position yourself for lasting success.
