Progress Pains

So you've started this awesome company. Planned for funding, infrastructure, networking and all the other things that the SCORE volunteer told you to put on the Business Plan. The only problem, a year into your first year the unexpected happens. This thing starts to take hold like a wild fire. I mean you are growing so fast that you can't keep up with the pace. So what do you do? What do you do when the very thing that you prayed for happens IN SPADES?

Access- There may be  many routes to get to Rome but only a few paths will get you there with the least amount of trouble. The first thing I'd do is to access where the heck I really want to go. Let me give you an example. You started out a 98lb. weakling and now you are sporting a size 23 neck with a 30 inch waist and 30 inch biceps. Things are just not the same as they were  before. In the old days all you wanted was to be able to pay the bills and maybe at some point be able to take a well deserved vacation. Now that you have more muscles than the ex-governator of California, your perspective may have changed. You find that you can lift more, run faster and use up more sun tan oil that you ever thought you would ever use. Now would be a good time to access really what your options and possibilities are. In other words, the Business Plan needs to be readjusted.

Align- Your little boy has grown all up overnight and you're thinking to yourself, "I can't imagine anyone else coming in and taking credit for all the hard work I've put into this wee one. Letting go and bringing in someone with a bit more experience is exactly what you will have to do in order for that child to benefit from his or her increased size, potential and spirit. Many business owners literally cripple their fantastic businesses because they are so fearful of losing control. Well, get over it Bill Gates. Your baby needs more air and since you can't provide it, call someone in who can.

Allow- This brings me to my last point. Allowing someone else to take over and take your business to the next level just makes good business sense. I don't know of any successful Fortune 500 company that didn't allow others in. It's like a rope who says that it would be just fine with only one cord. No there is power when you team up with a few more cords. You become stronger and get a better return when you team up with others.

Accessing, Aligning and Allowing others to help take your baby to the next level are excellent ways to continue your business on its way to the top of the corporate world. Don't cripple your business by trying to do it all yourself. Allow others to help you, it could mean the difference between winning and losing.