I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Running a business is simple. It’s not easy, but it’s simple.
Running a business effectively is just a series of decisions. If you make take the right choices, then you will succeed. If you take too many wrong turns, you won’t succeed. Very simple!
I’m making a few broad assumptions here. In addition to making the right decisions, you also need to be the right type of person. Let’s hop on a quick tangent.
If you’re a hard-working, tenacious, smart, decisive and people person then you will succeed. If you struggle with most of these things, you’re probably going to struggle to run a business effectively. I have a test for whether you should be running your own business. I call it ‘The Bin Test’.
The Bin Test
Let’s say you arrive at your place of work and the bin lorry has left the bin in the middle of the car park. If you get out of your car and move it to its correct place before you park, you might do well running your own business. You’re the sort of person that notices when things need doing. You put them right regardless of your position.
If you think “not my job” or don’t notice and park up… Working for someone might be better.
Anyway, back to KPI’s.
When you plan a business, you should work out what you need to do to make it successful. You can set a target for each item. You can then be confident that if you achieve your small tasks you will succeed. Small steps will help you reach big goals!
The only way to measure if you’re doing what you need to in the early days of a plan is to ask the question; “Am I doing all the things I said I would?” If you are doing these things, you know you’re doing all you can.
If you’re not, you must ask yourself why? Do you not believe in the plan? Do you not have what it takes to achieve it?
Harsh but true. Like I said before (and probably will again!) It’s simple, but it’s not easy!
