Core Business Solutions Advice

My past 4 blogs have reviewed the first four of the seven areas that I think contribute greatly to business failure. The first four were 1-A Lack of Planning(No business plan), 2- Starting a Business for the Wrong Reasons, 3- Insufficient Capital and the last reason reviewed was #4-"No Website". Of all the top 7 reasons businesses fail, #5 -"Poor Management" is high on my list in terms of frequency.

So what's the big deal regarding managing a business?

Many reports on business failures cite Poor Management as the number one reason for failure. Why?

The reason is that business owners (especially those who come from a corporate environment) lack expertize or even basic knowledge in areas such as:

• Finance
• Purchasing
• Production
• Marketing
• Hiring & Managing Employees
• Selling

Unless they recognize what they don't know or what they can't do well, and most importantly, seek help, business owners will soon face disaster. Each of these areas must be covered in detail in the business plan. Business owners must also be educated and alert to fraud, and put into place measures to avoid it.

Neglect of a business can also be its downfall.

Care must be taken to regularly study, organize, plan and control all activities of business operations. This includes the continuing study of market research and customer data, an area which may be more prone to disregard once a business has been established. This is precisely why the Business Plan (see #1 in this series) must be a living document that is reviewed at least quarterly or monthly for new businesses and annually after 2 years in business.

A successful manager is also a good leader who creates a positive work environment that encourages productivity. This means the business owner must always approach everyone working in the business with an upbeat manner. Any employee performance or attitude issues should be handled in private, away from the work area and documented.

A professional manager has a skill at hiring competent people, training them and is able to delegate. Remember: the definition of management is: 'getting things done through other people'. So you must find the best people which means hiring people better than yourself and letting them do their job. Avoid micro-management, set proper expectations and measure the results. Believe it or not, good employees want to know how they are doing, so be sure you have the correct reporting tools to let them know how they are doing, both as a group and individually.

A good leader is also skilled at strategic thinking, able to make a vision a reality, and able to confront change, make transitions, and envision new possibilities for the future. Change is a constant in business so embrace it and get it done!

In Stephen Coveys " 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" he describes how to "Think with the end in mind." So what's the end result you have in mind? How will you achieve it?
I strongly encourage anyone who owns a business to read Covey's book. It's a terrific road map to being an effective person in business and also in your personal life.

"You're at the top when your pleasant to the grouch, courteous to the rude & generous to the needy." - from Zig Ziglar

Next time I'll review the 6Th of the 7 Top Reasons Businesses Fail.

In the mean time:

Live Simply.
Speak Kindly.
Care Deeply.
Love Generously.

All The Best...Always,

Walt Morey - Executive Business Advisor- Accredited by the Institute for Independent Business
http://www.corebizsolution.com/

In my past 3 blogs in this series, I reviewed the third of the 7 areas that I think contribute greatly to business failure. The first three were 1-A Lack of Planning(No business plan), 2- Starting a Business for the Wrong Reasons and the last reason reviewed was "Insufficient Capital".

"Poor Management" was to be the next topic, but after a discussion with one of my clients recently, I decided to change the next topic for discussion.

The next top 7 reason businesses fail I'll cover is:

No Website

Simply put, if you have a business today, you need a website. PERIOD!

In the U.S. alone, the number of Internet users (about 70 percent of the population) and e-commerce sales (about 70 billion in 2004, according to the Census Bureau) continue to rise and are expected to increase with each passing year.

Since 2004, the U.S. has led the world in Internet usage.

At the very least, every business should have a professional looking and well-designed website that enables users to easily find out about their business and how to avail themselves of their products and services. Later, additional ways to generate revenue on the website can be added; i.e., selling ad space, drop-shipping products, or recommending affiliate product and others as well.

Remember, if you don't have a website, you'll most likely be losing business to those that do. And make sure that website makes your business look good, not bad -- you want to increase revenues, not decrease them.

When it comes to the success of any new business, you -- the business owner -- are ultimately the "secret" to your success.

For most successful business owners, failure was never an option. Armed with drive, determination, and a consistently positive mindset, these individuals view any setback as only an opportunity to learn and grow.

Here is an interesting fact: Most self-made millionaires possess average intelligence.

What sets them apart?

A-They have an openness to new knowledge and new ideas.

B-They have a willingness to learn whatever it takes to succeed.

C-They seek guidance and help from experts.

So, if your business does not have a well designed and positioned website, you are falling behind your competition every day and losing money. Invest in a website for your business. Remember, it takes money to make money.

Next time I'll cover another reason(#5) of the Top 7 Reasons Businesses Fail.

It was Napoleon Hill who said it best : "Success Requires No Explanations---Failure Permits No Alibi's" [From 'Think and Grow Rich']

Have a great day and most of all...Have a Great Time!

All The Best,

Walt Morey - Executive Advisor- Accredited by the Institute for Independent Business

http://www.corebizsolution.com/