Don’t Be ‘Ho Hum’

It is true that it is unlikely that you are the only person in the world doing what you do. If fact, there are likely hundreds of people if not tens-of-thousands of people, depending on the industry you are in. So when I tell that you need to work towards being ‘the best’ at what you do how does that make you feel?

Here are a few different responses I have had:

• I am very good at what I do
• I am an expert at my _____ (craft or skill)
• I’ve been doing this for years

All of these are great, but when I say, ‘be the best’ I mean at your business and what you do very well, and that is more difficult. As Michael E. Gerber has pointed out in his E-Myth books, we often start a business because we are really good at something, we have a skill, and we become the technician of the business, but not the best business owner.

Here are three things you can do be become the best business owner you can become:

1. Learn the Business Side of Your Business

Read books, take classes, coach with an expert, look for amazing entrepreneurs that you can mentor with or spend time with, and don’t ever stop. Business is a lifelong learning experience.

2. Focus on What You Do Best

If it is early in your business you will be the person that does most of the jobs in your business, but you have to be focused on what that is going to be as your business grows. Do you want to be the person that buys the office supplies, does the work for the client, or oversees the day-to-day work?

Where will you fit into your company when it is bigger? Ask yourself this question now so you can always be focused on which piece of the pie is yours so you can be the best at it. You do not want to be ho-hum at a hundred things, you want to be the best at 1 or 2. Focus on your goal to be the best at whichever part of the business you see yourself doing in the future.

3. Hire the Best People

Whether you are hiring full time employees or a contractor for a short project, hire people that will be focused on the same quality results you want to give your customers. Take a look at McDonald’s if you want a great example of consistent customer experience and then recognize that it took thousands of people, all trained with the same values and goals to meet that consistency everywhere around the globe.

Be The Best

Don’t think that being the best technician is enough. We don’t buy ‘ho hum’ and your clients want the full experience. The best business is not just a great electrician, it is a great quote experience, friendly billing, customer service when something is not quite right and follow up. Getting that all right means you have systems within your business that runs the day-to-day and people that are as committed to your customers great experience the same way you are.