Imagine being a business owner and having employees that aren’t dedicated to their work, the organization’s goals, quality, or service. While this is clearly a management nightmare, this would also make it pretty hard to succeed as the owner.
Small business owners are often so busy running their organizations that they sometimes forget about themselves, and the reality is, everyone is responsible for business growth, and it starts from the top down.
A business that clearly cares about the personal development of its employees will have a more engaged workplace, which directly links to employee performance and profitability over time. But who is challenging the business owner? Who is informing you about new business opportunities, changes in the market, what your competition is up to, helping increase your profit margins, or brainstorm how you can attract your target audience more effectively? In order to thrive and not just survive in the modern market, businesses must grow, and business owners must also invest in themselves.
Recalling a recent debrief meeting with The Pitch Business Plan Competition finalists after the event; one of the finalists mentioned that they didn’t ask for help despite being offered it because they thought we were too busy. This sparked the topic for this article.
Why do so many business owners struggle to ask for help? Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that ‘asking for help’ is potentially loaded with risk, fear, and vulnerability.
We get it, most entrepreneurs have common traits such as perfectionism, competition, pride in their work, and a strong sense of self. Those traits are what help you succeed and are clearly important to being a business owner. Here is the harsh reality though, everyone is always learning and growing, and no one can know everything about everything. It is ok to ask for help and that is exactly what we are here for. Yes, our staff likes to keep busy, but EBRC’s policy is to aim to respond to inquiries within 2 business days and often can accommodate free one-on-one advising appointments within a week or so depending on the time of year. EBRC is also committed to 100% confidentiality, so your privacy is always maintained.
And guess what? Our experienced business advisors truly relish the joy of helping you succeed and assisting in innovatively encouraging businesses to brainstorm new ideas or develop solutions to topics such as these:
- Identify Leads
- Explore New Business Opportunities
- Develop a Marketing Plan
- Evaluate Financials
- Brainstorm Innovative Ideas
- Social Media and Branding Review
- Market Research
- Business Plan Development
- Prepare for ‘The Pitch’
- Identify Inefficiencies
- Set Goals & Tools To Measure Success
- Financing Opportunities
Business owners are smart, reliable, optimistic, independent, and action-takers. These qualities are essential for building a successful business. So, if you’re struggling to ask for help, please focus on your long-term goal and remember, The Elgin Business Resource Center genuinely cares for you, the business owner.