Mom and Pop Disease - (part 3) "WHAT WAS I THINKING?"

When we left our hero/heroine in Part 2, he or she had just had one of those "Uh-Oh Moments" This is where you can do one of three things:

• You can panic.

• You can try taking on level two the hard way, like the old saying; "WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING", and see how that works.

OR

• You can consult a professional and learn how to keep everything on track.

You would be surprised at the things people do when this moment occurs! Things begin to happen very quickly at this stage: some good, some not so good. Some are self-inflected wounds and some are just a part of fighting the good fight. Let's examine each of the three for some of the possibilities that exist.

Please remember something; these are only a few of the most prevalent observations. There are too many combinations to try and capture all of them without specifics!

•  PANIC - Typically the first thought and the most destructive of the all the self inflicted wounds. This one can be fatal because it leads to bad business decisions. You see, a Start-Up is like a new born baby in many ways. If not constantly cared for in every way at the beginning and for some time, bad things happen quickly. As with a baby you must have eyes in the back of your head and be able to forecast future events with some accuracy. Sound impossible? Parents do it every day! Remember, as long as you catch the problems early there is almost always something you can do to get on the mend. 

  Be alert and concerned, but never panic!

• MEET LEVEL TWO HEAD ON - This strategy is both good and bad. Taking the bull by the horns is a great idea, if you are prepared to do so! 

THE GOOD PART: Something happened to make you start thinking this way. It's called intuition. kind of a sense of foreboding. I call it that because it comes from previous experience and common sense as opposed to educated perspective.If you take a moment to think it through, you will see you are unprepared and that's why you're having these thoughts now.

THE BAD PART: You have already encountered the good part and decided to take on level two with the same resources, experience and knowledge as before. Basically, throw the chips in the air and see where they land. You know, bang heads with level two and see who wins!

• CONSIDER A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT - This is the best of the three. I don't say that because that is my stock and trade. This is a very important stage in the life of you're new born and all things should be taken into account. As with an infant, if there was the potential for problems, existing or anticipated you would want a professional's opinion before making an attempt to rectify that problem.

 Remember to try and look at this from a parent's point-of-view.I know it sounds crazy but it works every time.There are so many things to keep in mind. The most important is to do your homework. I'm sure there are people like me that would help. It's not always about the money, for me anyway.

THE NEXT POST WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND BUSINESS COACHING. THIS IS A MUST KNOW!!!!!!

Mom and Pop Disease - (part 2) "WHERE ARE WE GOING"

At the end of Part 1, I mentioned three approaches most Start-Ups are built on. They have various commonalities. Now, let's see what these three founder categories share with each other.

Very Common, "THE UPSIDE"

1. They have all used their creativity to accomplish their mission.
2. They have all gone the extra mile to get from point A to point B.
3. They have all successfully reached the end of level one.
4. They have all reached a "Point of No Return" without the lost of time and material investment.

Very Common, "THE DOWNSIDE"

1. They have not given any forethought to level two.
2. There is usually no business model to speak of.
3. There is usually no thought given to a one or five year plan
4. Most 'Start-Ups and small businesses are "Under Funded".

As I stated in Part 1, "NOW WHAT?"

Let me begin by saying, there are more commonalities then you would believe. I chose the ones I have had to deal with most often. In future posts I will go over these "COMMONALITIES" in detail. I wanted you to sample some of these things so as we continue it will make better sense. For now, let's go over something I believe is more important. Namely "The Domino Effect". This is caused by inherent poor planning and uneducated choices at the beginning of staged growth and almost always, if left unchecked over time, become the small business entrepreneur's undoing.

Lets say that you have the perfect situation. You love what your doing and through hard work, frugal spending and good advice, things have gone relatively smooth. Remember, the first level is mostly overcoming obstacles. That doesn't leave much time for planning the next step. This level is usually undermanned and this creates the "hands-on owner/operator" scenario. Having said that, the small business owner looses sight of the task of preparing for a growth spurt. The influx of additional business is one of the indicators that level two is at hand. In my experience, this is not fatal, but it sets the scene for emotional, panic driven decisions which are most always not the right decisions.

Things are fairly good and not a lot of time has been spent researching how to support level two with additional customer growth. Some increases are inherent, but that's not enough to make the expenditures necessary for success in level two accessible.

By now the "Domino Effect" should be becoming apparent. The toll this begins to take on the dream, mentally and physically is barely noticeable. And so it begins.This is where the absence of experience in business development also begins to raise it's head. Typically these folks have done battle without the benefit of a professional. Their business ethic and drive have gotten them through. I find, at this point, a false sense of well being. They think that to proceed the same way will get them through level two.Unfortunately this usually does not end well.

In my next post we will begin to add some things to the picture of level one and see how these things can positively or negatively affect the process.

Mom and Pop Disease - (part 1) "AGE-OLD START-UPS"

Many times I have encountered what I call "Age-Old Start Ups". What might that be you ask? Let me start by saying that human beings are very creative by nature. Especially when put in an entrepreneurial situation. That having been said, they are also creatures of habit. This is good when the habits are good habits and bad is always bad. These are companies that never go anywhere. They don't flourish or grow. they just exist! Sooner or later the passion runs out, the excitement dies down and the ability to create profit begins to stagnate.

Most people start a business in the same way. They have an idea. This idea falls in one of three categories. Passion, Profit, or both. I think we have all seen the "Passionate Approach". Someone will take grandma's recipe and begin production. While these labors of love are sometimes not as profitable as we would like, step one is accomplished, we have success.Then there is the "Profit Approach". Someone has an idea and creates something new or puts a new twist on an existing product. All seems to be working well, profit begins to roll in and voila, success. Last but not least, you have the combination of the two. A great passion mixed with a great idea, with a generous helping of profit. How can that miss, right? Again success.

NOW WHAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In my experience, this is a very important point in the future of the process. This is where everything changes (one way or another). The next logical step is at hand and must be taken! A start-up is like a new born baby. It must be nourished and cared fore. As it grows with age different steps must be taken or negative things begin to happen. As with children, all business models, especially start-ups need constant care if expected to survive and mature.The moment you become over confident or think you can put your feet up and coast you risk creating "The Age Old Start-Up".

 In my next post we will review the commonalities of the approaches, the different turns that can be taken and why and how to take those turns.

"THAT LOOKS EASY, I CAN DO THAT!"

Most people have been lead to believe that they can DIY just about anything, and in a perfect world, I suppose this is true to a degree. Unfortunately this is a "False Sense of Security" situation created by manufacturers trying to maintain sales numbers. Times are tough and have been for awhile.The manufacturers gave great thought on a new approach to this problem. They felt if the projects were portrayed as "Simple Enough" most people would attempt to proceed, saving professional labor costs and making the projects doable NOW. The price for business and infrastructure enhancement of any type is expensive, even for me. I have been in all forms of the business for some 30 years, I have an electrical design and data management skill set with expertise in the areas of operations and project management, in addition to many relationships in all areas of future growth.

What they don't tell you is that the DIY approach does not apply to commercial and business scenarios and that you have four strikes against you from the start. Doing things on a personal level is quite different from doing things on a professional level,   

1. You have no experience in the field of endeavor and that is understandable. This may well cost you your investment in failure at best, at worst, you may put yourself at a point of no return. This means the project must be finished now, your investment will now increase, and you still have to pay a professional to do it. So what have you really accomplished?  
2. You as the Designer/Project Manager of the project, are not familiar enough with the hardware and software available for the best design or the best bang for the buck.  
3. You do not have access to the commercial vendors and suppliers the pros use. Sure you have Best Buy and other local electronics stores, along with some online vendors but the only time a pro considers this approach is if it is an emergency, what is needed is low maintenance, or the budget is insufficient.  
4. Your warranties become an issue.You have no one to perform or pay for warranty repair in the first year as you would with a professional.

I could go on but why? I think I've given you enough to think about for now. My next post will tell you a bit about me for those new friends I will encounter. I will also give you my perspective on a way to better accomplish your projects in a more efficient and less risky manner.

A LITTLE ABOUT ME AND MINE

My name is Chuck and I am a Senior Consultant with a background in Operations and Disaster Recovery. My target client is the small to medium sized business.

I believe these entrepreneurs are what makes this country strong. I also believe they are in need of a friend. Having said that, over the last thirty years I have designed and created what I have been told are unique skill sets. All things considered, I feel I have an obligation to help the country and the people who have been good to my family and I.

After weighing the options carefully C T  & Associates Consulting has developed an ever evolving, low cost, "Total Concept Solution" to create "Start-Ups" and to take existing small and medium businesses through the logical steps to achieve their next level of growth.The last hurdle was to make it affordable.

In future posts you can look forward to additional incites with tips to help with infrastructure, operations, hardware, software, and "Best Practice" (procedures and protocols) as they apply.

If you let me hear from you with enough advanced notice, I can somewhat tailor my posts to reflect the needs. Believe it or not my friends, "IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE MONEY!" However if the need should arise, special "one on one" consulting is available.

Chuck