10 Commandments of Growth

As a business coach for more than 10 years, Frank Pucher , Director of Todd Durkin Mastermind, has worked with fitness and non-fitness business owners across the United States and abroad. Over the years he has been compiling a list of the lessons his clients have had to learn and embrace. These lessons were critical teaching moments that defined growth, or failure, in their business. Frank has developed these lessons into what we call...

The 10 Commandments of Growth

1. Take ownership of every problem:?In life or business, you’re either the VICTIM or the VICTOR. The VICTIM falls to external forces - the traffic, the economy, the competition, the odds, etc. The VICTOR looks for and finds a way despite the external forces ever present. As a leader it might not be your fault, but it is your responsibility. Own it!
2. Have an Accurate Formula: Too many people create products or solutions in response to their personal wants and needs. Then they spend time trying to figuring out how to sell those products and solutions to people who don't have the same wants or needs as they do. A very inaccurate formula. A more accurate one: Find a need and fill it.
3. Be self Honest and have honest conversations with others: Do you encourage advice from your team, not feedback, but advice? Never assume you hold a monopoly on the best ideas and always be open to “listening to what you don’t want to hear.” Growth requires hunger & humility.
4. If you’re not attracting enough business, your business needs to become more attractive: Think about that for a minute. What about your business needs to improve? Your facility? Your messaging? Your customer service? Silence in the marketplace speaks in volume. Something needs to change!
5. If your phone isn’t ringing, start ringing some phones: You need to be reaching out to current, inactive and former clients. Unless they left cursing, screaming or threatening to burn your place down, reach out and connect.?
6. All success comes from being proactive: “If you build it they will come” is a great movie line. But in the real world, creating a great product or service isn’t the end game. It’s the beginning. You’ve got to do the work of promotion.
7. Fight the gravity of time which is always pulling you towards mediocre & average: If you had a glass of COLD water and left it out, it would be at room temperature in a few hours. If you had a cup of HOT water and left it out, it would be at room temperature in a few hours. You must apply constant ENERGY to keep things from becoming lukewarm, ordinary or average.
8. HALFTIME creates pressure, and increases productivity:?In the early 1900’s the average work day was 10-12 hours. In 1914, Henry Ford introduced the 8 hour work day and productivity increased. Today, most of the productive work done is done in 3-4hours. Cut you and your teams non-revenue generating task time in half and you’ll likely increase your productivity while optimizing payroll costs & energy.
9. Don’t apply a QUANTITATIVE SOLUTION when what is required is QUALITATIVE CHANGE: It’s easy to say you’ll work harder or longer. But often times, a change in approach will yield the desired outcome. More of the same isn’t the answer.
10. It’s better to BE DIFFERENT than to BE BETTER: Most people can’t identify better, but DIFFERENT is easily recognizable. In a crowded marketplace, be different to stand out, be better to retain. When you’re different and best, that’s what leads to exponential growth.?