Riding The Wave,When Things Really Go to Plan
Running your own business can be tough at times,but when the tide is are running your way,magic can happen!
There will be times when you will feel like you are paddling against the current. At other times, you will feel the momentum building with you, like a huge unstoppable wave; luck will magically appear to be with you.
Your Pro Team is making it happen, and your systems are like money in the bank. The results of all those definite decisions start to come together. The whole team has bought into the dream. You have people and systems you can trust; the team is connected and are proud of the differences they are making.
You have the family life you made all these sacrifices for – you are making it real.
Take the time to appreciate the moments and milestones as they come. Whatever you do, don’t let them go past unnoticed. They likely won’t come around again. It may be when you get the car or house of your dreams. Perhaps it’s the holiday in Paris. You have earned those things, so enjoy them!
Looking back, the greatest moments for me were when I personally thought, I actually did this, I made this happen!
I found many of these moments for me were very private. One of the earliest that I can remember was at the first James Home Services annual general meeting. It was a one-day conference followed by an awards night.
When I stood up to do my opening welcome to the group, I was terrified. I thought the crowd was huge, but it was really only about 30 people. I did my little speech welcoming everyone to the event.
As I finished, I realised that all the people in front of me were running successful businesses and feeding their families because I decided to make my dream a reality.
I never lost focus on that – that the success of my business provided for so many others. We changed people’s lives by giving them the tools to control the balance of their own businesses.
There was a day back when we lived in Melbourne; we’d only been there about three months at the time. I was on an early morning walk in the suburb of Hawthorn when, out of nowhere, I saw one of our franchisee’s blue trailers. They appeared to be heading off to work. I was so excited. I thought, wow, we made the big time. I felt so proud.
I can recall another moment at the 1999 James Home Services AGM. It took place at the Sea World Resort on the Gold Coast. We had nearly 200 franchisees present.
Our speakers at that conference included three Olympians: Tracy Wickham (swimming), Leroy Loggins (basket- ball) and Raelene Boyle (running). The whole event was amazing, and truly inspiring. My Pro Team was completely unstoppable that year.
The AGM was a true reflection of the standards we had reached. At the end of the night, after everyone had partied hard and was making their way back to their rooms, I realised just how much we had accomplished!
I emceed for the entire three days of the event, and it was now midnight on the Saturday evening. As I sat with my key team members, I raised a glass to them and the amazing achievement we had in front of us.
When the waves of success are rolling, go with it and enjoy it, but don’t rest on your past results. Repeat the process that made you successful.
Focus your energy on the journey ahead. I’m not saying you won’t have great memories to look back on, I’m saying don’t dwell on the good old days – you are only as good as your next gig. Keep the momentum going. Make new definite decisions. Move forward on the next chapter of the journey, sticking to the program – keep chasing your dream.
Even when you think you’ve caught it, there is always more to be done! Beware of getting stuck in your comfort zones. The continuing growth of your business will require more growth from you than you can possibly realise.
There will be times when you surprise yourself and others by stretching beyond what you thought were your limits. This is your own personal growth and awareness coming into play. You are growing with your company – keep it up!
It is vital to employ an outside facilitator in this rapid ‘abundance’ stage. The success can cloud your judgement as much as the emotional storms.
A trusted third-party person to help in the management of family members within the business can be the difference between a business that is a legacy for generations to come and a nightmare for the current family.
Investing in building systems that give your business more long-term success in these times is the next the step in developing your Pro Team and systems.
Systematic evaluation is the key to long-term success.
Every tested and measured system is an investment that will guarantee that the balance between family and business remains constant. These assets will create infinite opportunities for the future.
Systematic evaluation needs to become a habit of your business. In the current unbalanced world, this is a necessity. You have two fluent, ever-changing and forever growing structures – your family and your business. It is during the times of abundance that you need to refocus and build the systems that will become the future.
If you fail to embrace the growth and build on it, and instead choose to simply ride the wave forward, you can expect the momentum to sub- side. What happens in too many cases?
You ride the wave, you don’t get outside perspective because you don’t think you need it, and eventually you and your business fall back into old habits.
Then, one day you realise you’ve gone back in time – the money is short, the team is not the Pro Team they once were, and things are no longer headed in the direction you wanted.
You find the pressure is back on you to get things restarted. The time you had for your family seems to have become harder to find again. You start to wonder what happened.
It feels like you have gone back to day one – and you have! Your habits have come back to haunt you. Make the systematic evaluation your ‘businesses habit’.
When momentum is rolling with you, jump on that wave of success and go for it. Ride that wave all the way to the shore, but don’t forget to keep building on it as well.