The GhostBuster’s Theme song rings in my head.
Get in the mood for this article by playing the song in the background as you read! ()
Who ya gonna call when something goes seriously wrong in your business? Who do you have in your mental Rolodex (do people still use those-LOL?) who is a skilled troubleshooter and problem solver? Who is your business support team?
Many small start up businesses operate on a shoestring budget, with a tiny or non-existent
staff and many functions outsourced or automated. Yet there are times when the sales funnel falls apart, or the manufacturing channels screw up, or the entire business concept feels untenable. Who ya gonna call at those time for business support, advice, ideas and a shoulder to lean on?
As small business owners we are the people who automatically default to “I can do it myself!” . That is what sets entrepreneurs apart – the “Can Do” attitude.
The other day I was speaking with a entrepreneurial business colleague in Australia about women and their relationship to money. In the course of the conversation we segued into the mindset of successful entrepreneurs and agreed that a similar cord that runs through many of us is being able to take an idea or an opportunity and run with if, even if it’s a new topic for us.
Many people, when approached with something they know nothing about, will automatically say, ” I can’t do that ” or ” I don’t know how to do that” or “I know nothing about that”. Entrepreneurial minded business people will default instead to “I believe I can figure that out” and then dive into learning or research or whatever it takes to make it so.
So we stand out there, grabbing the bull by the horns and creating business, income, impact and more with the sheer power of our convictions and determination. Yet for all businesses there comes a time when we require business support and we are back to the original question: Who ya gonna call?
This is the moment when the rubber meets the road for a business. Trusted advisers come in many forms. The person you are going to call can be a Mentor, a Business Coach or Consultant, your local SBA department or a professional in the area that defines your business challenge (ie -Attorney, Accountant, etc…). The key here is to have that list available to you BEFORE you need it. Taking time to network and build business support professional relationships as you grow your business is a crucial aspect of successful entrepreneurship. You don’t want to be scrambling to find the right consultant at that moment when you are backed into a corner with a serious problem. You want to have the individual on the speed dial list in your phone instead.
It’s here that live and online networking reaps it’s rewards. Word of mouth is the key to relationship building and relationships with business support professionals can save the day when your small business encounters a challenge. Just like you have a family doctor and dentist who you trust and who knows you and your situation, you want to have people in your sphere who know your business and who understand and relate to your values and goals as a business owner.
Take the time to seek out and cultivate those business support relationships now. Hire a business coach even if you don’t feel you require one, just for a few sessions to create the relationship. Find the appropriate legal and financial professionals and take them to lunch to start building rapport. Seek out your local SCORE or SBA and introduce yourself.
Do this now, before you are laying in bed late at night, eyes wide open, anxiety coursing through your veins, with the Ghost Buster’s theme song playing in your mind!
