Help is the Answer

Business owners everywhere are asking, “How are we going to get through this?” The answer is, with help and we probably shouldn’t count on the government to fix everything.

This is the perfect time to do a stakeholder inventory. Write down all of the individuals, organizations, resources that you have some sort of relationship with or connection to; assess those relationships and resources and imagine how you can help one another. 

A social enterprise focuses on maximizing value for their stakeholders which in turn, builds trust, mutual value and increased mutual profitability and sustainability. 

“We’re better together than we are apart. The American Dream has us looking out for ourselves even at the expense of our neighbors...” Trevor D Richardson 

The typical business owner has between 5 to 7 primary stakeholders; those that affect us and are affected by us almost daily. 

Some examples might be:

• Employees
• Customers
• Suppliers
• Landlord/Bank
• Partners
• Contractors

Instead of retreating, consider the conversations you can have with these stakeholders that will help create value and be mutually beneficial to one another? Great social innovations, connection and synergy have come out of times of crises and it starts with a conversation.

The worst thing we can do in any valued relationship is to hide, isolate, go quiet and shut down. Ask for help, look to help others and watch something beautiful happen.