Weliveinanunusualtimewithcorporatedownsizing,restructuring,andtheincreaseinglobalcompetition.Someviewthesetimesasproblematic;othersseetheincredibleopportunitiescreatedbysuchchange.Inthelastdecadetherehasbeenahugegrowthinhome-basedandservice-industrybusinesses.Thesebusinesseshavebeenstartedbyindividualswiththecouragetopursuetheirdreams.Yet,foreveryideathatisimplemented,thousandsofideasnevergetbeyondtheconceptualstage-fromtheimaginationtoaplanofaction.Whatholdspeoplebackfrompursuingtheirdreamsandactingontheirgreatideas?Ibelieveit’sfearoffailure.Someoneoncesaid“therearealotofwaystobecomeafailure,butnevertakingachanceisthemostsuccessfulway.”I’vealsohearditsaidthat“peopledon’tplantofail...theyfailtoplan.”
Companiesthesedaysmustbewillingandabletochangeconstantly.Sometimescompanieschangecoursetosurvive,andsometimestheydosobecauseanopportunityistoogoodtoresist.Iknowofasmallcompanythatprovidedamessengerserviceseveralyearsago.Asuddenmajorincreaseincorporateuseoffaxmachinesnearlyputthissmallcompanyoutofbusiness.Fortunately,theownerofthecompanywasastuteenoughtorealizeotherglobalcorporatetrendshappeningatthesametime.
Theownershiftedgearsfromofferingamessengerservicetoprovidinganoffsiterecordsstorageservice,andsoonbusinesswasboomingonceagain.Itallcomesdowntoperspective.Whentherewasadownturnintheeconomy,somepeoplecouldsay“Thisisterrible!Withthedownturnintheeconomy,nobodywillhaveabudgetformyservice.”Orothersthought“Thisisgreat!Withthetighteningofbudgetsandthelossofsupportstaff,there’sanevengreaterneedforprofessionalstobeeffective,whichispreciselywhatI’mheretohelpthemdo!”
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