Don’t get lost in Uncertainty, Focus on what you control.
Here’s a sampling of economic headlines from Google News:
July Autos Sales Up, Yet Economic Concerns Persist
Big media’s profits defy gloomy outlook, for now
Debt relief replaced with recession fear
Take a look at economic news anywhere and what do I get, a load of bummer. Washington is messed up, Europe is crashing, stocks are sinking, and on and on. There is a lot of bad news out there, and to make things worse, most if it is outside our control. That’s right, your business is being buffeted by negative economic forces that you cannot control. So what should you do about it?
I say ignore it.
That’s right, I said ignore it. Every second you spend reading scary economic news, making contingency plans, talking it over with your advisors, and even lying awake at night worrying is time that is wasted. Instead spend that time building a new product, developing a some compelling content, reaching out to talk to current and past customers, encouraging your staff, but please don’t spend it worrying about the economy.
For most small business people “the economy” is relatively irrelevant. Most of us rely on a relatively small number of clients. We don’t need the whole economy to be doing well, we just need those clients to be doing well. And if the economy hurts those clients’ businesses we need to find a few more. Your best defense against economic uncertainty is to keep your head down and get your best work done.
Brad Farris is a small business advisor with Anchor Advisors, Ltd. in Chicago, Il. Since 2001 Anchor Advisors has been helping creative professional firms to grow, by helping them clarify their purpose, get the most from their people, keep their eye on key performance measures, and implement consistent processes. Brad is also the author of The Business Owner’s Champion: 6 Practices to Build your Nerve and your Business.
