Starting a new small business is often the most difficult thing most people will do in their lifetime. Short of a major tragedy in your life, nothing else will cause you the pain and suffering of creating a new business from scratch. While a handful are successful, the majority of new businesses fail; some dying out like embers in the …
The Pig Farm
One of the things that we constantly discuss in these articles is the need to continually educate yourself. Arguably, the worst thing that a business owner can do is to assume that they know everything there is to know about their business. Our world is constantly changing, and business and industry are no exception. Certainly, it’s in our best interest …
A Shock to the System. How Starting a New Business Can Drive You Crazy
Starting a new business can be a shock to your system. We all think that we’re ready for this new adventure. We’ve read some books, talked to some experts and watched some YouTube videos; how difficult could it be? After all, if (insert name of a despised competitor here) can do it, it must be really simple. The reality is …
What Can I Do to Grow My Business Faster? Crawling Before You Walk
I consider myself to be extremely fortunate. I (somehow) ended up in a career that I really enjoy, that allows me to help others and that helps me to provide for my family. I started doing home inspections professionally in 2001, and soon thereafter started teaching other home inspectors (and Realtors) about the industry. In addition to being certified to …
Am I Too Late To the Party? Knowing When To Grow Your Business
I have been extremely fortunate to find myself in a very unique position in the home inspection industry. I was lucky enough to get in on the ground floor of a multi-inspector firm with my friends and business partners. I started doing inspections, growing business to 40 inspections a month and then hiring and training my replacement for those inspections. …
Always Use Your Superpowers for Good!
It’s difficult to run a small business, and even more difficult to start one. New business owners often hope that they can hold on long enough to reach their personal goal line of success. They erroneously think that once they have become well established in their industry, the problems that they experienced when they first started the business will simply …
Can I Do This for Another Year? How To Keep a New Business Going
I hope that everyone is doing well and having more fun than I am at this moment. I am currently at the computer, working on bookkeeping late at night. While QuickBooks is far from my favorite pastime, it is a necessary evil of life as a small business owner. And while I may rather jab myself in the eye with …
Right Place, Wrong Time (Customers)
Customers. They’re the lifeblood of any successful business. Without them, we’re just standing around, thinking about how great our business ideas are. Without them, we’re soon on the way to the unemployment line. No business can survive without cash flow, and that means customers. Unfortunately, customers can also be the worst part of our business, often causing untold grief and pain. I’m …