Running a business is HARD. Running a successful business it is ever HARDER. There’s no way around it. It takes hours and hours of your time with no guarantee of seeing a profit. There are so many more things that can go wrong than there are that can go right… which is also what makes it incredibly satisfying and almost unbelievable when everything actually does work out. Every so often though arises a time when you have to remind yourself why you are even doing this in the first place. So, its a bit of a double edged sword, for lack of better terms. Like the fastest rollercoaster with an equal amount of upside down loops. Yes…you get the point.
In my scenario, the business I am managing lies within the wonderful industry known as New York City Construction. I know, you’ve probably never heard of a construction dude writing posts, and you’d be right. I am not in this industry because its my favorite, but I do feel the experience I have gathered from this endeavor can translate to managing any business. My goal her is to share my insight based on my experiences, and help give you the best shot at succeeding at whatever business you choose.
1. Get In The Zone & Stay Dialed In
As a former semi pro footballer, one of my favorite things to do to before a match was listen to my favorite music. I truly believe music can change your entire energy. For me, this is still how I prepare every morning on the way to my shop. It gets me into the right mindset almost immediately. I look crazy jamming out in my car at 6 AM but it works. For others, it may be slightly different. Maybe you want to take a special coffee or order your favorite breakfast, whatever it is you need to find something that is going to put you in a good mindset. I can guarantee you this will give you an advantage over the guy who rolled out of bed hungover, argued with his wife, and pulled up late to the office. They wont stand a chance once you’re dialed in.
2. Get Organized
Ok I’ll admit it, I need some work on this one too. Although, I have come a long way from my chaotic university flat. But seriously… organization is a whole journey, not a single destination. For every second you spend organizing your workspace, I promise you will earn at least a minute back. It makes it so much easier to reference documents, pull up drawings, and most importantly get on the same page as your client without delay. It also make you come off as more professional versus scrambling for information around when you have 50 jobs going on at the same time. That’s just not it. Find a systematic approach to staying organized and stick to it. Trust me if I can do it so can YOU.
3. Know Your Shit
I don’t care what field of work you are in or whether you are super passionate about it or not. The key to keeping your clientele happy and in turn keeping YOU happy and motivated is to have at least SOME knowledge of what you are talking about. Yes, I said it. You’d be surprised how many “professionals” don’t actually know half of the stuff they are talking about and selling you. When I first came into this industry after finishing my MBA I knew how to calculate algorithms, prepare quantitative excel sheets, but I had no idea what the difference between a galvanized schedule 40 pipe and ss40 was. LITERALLY NO IDEA. And it was reflecting in my performance and company revenues. (which wasn’t a great start) but eventually I took the time to order the pieces and learn the prices and differences between them. My point being, every industry is different and even if you are not super passionate about what you are working, you can learn of valuable skills.
4. Find a Mentor
There is no way when you are starting out in business you are going to get everything right. I don’t care if you have the best college degree in the world, unless you are Kevin O’Leary from the Shark Tank, the best chance you have to set yourself up for success is to find a mentor. This will be the greatest tool you will have in your arsenal. When you are even the slightest bit unsure, you consult them. There is no shame in asking questions. That is how we learn. You should find someone who you are compatible with and this in turn will keep you motivated to keep pushing when times are tough. You want to make this person proud and that in itself should be enough to keep you going. This person has been doing this for so long for a reason and you better listen to what they are telling you.
5. Build Relationships with Customers
SO…this one is not always as easy as it sounds. I personally have trouble understanding the majority of people. I love dogs. When has a dog ever… Nevermind. When in business you will be dealing with all kinds of different people. Some you may get along with right away, some you may dislike, and some you may never even actually meet. Crazy I know… But the key to creating a lasting & mutually beneficial relationship is to build your relationship to the point where it is beneficial for everyone involved. This is vital because without this, business will suffer and you will lose motivation. You can achieve this by working with them and making them feel like a priority in your operation. A couple of years ago I had a Project Manager switch companies from NYC to Philadelphia. I was hesitant to start work for them because I had never met them and they were 3 hours from my base. I handled this by making sure to communicate with them via telephone and email consistently and managed to build the relationship to the point where they are one of my top 3 clients. And I never met them in person which I still cant believe. But I learned that as long as everyone is comfortable and the relationship is mutually beneficial, anything is possible.
There you go …
Honestly, staying motivated in business requires a whole lot more than these five suggestions. But they are some of the most worthwhile in my experience. All five of these recommendations are interconnected. Meaning you let one go, it will 100% adversely affect the others. You don’t have to listen, but these are strategies I’ve personally learned the hard way. Staying motivated in business requires managing of these five power moves for sure. It very easy to lose momentum and motivation but following these strategies will get you on the right track.
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