This recession – said by many to be ending, and said by some to be preparing itself for an ugly return – is positioning many small businesses for a very positive result. The law of “natural selection” means basically that the strong survive and the weak demise. The same happens in the world of business as in nature, and small businesses are even more susceptible.
Right now, the excesses of greed and stupidity are being cleansed. And many savvy small businesses are benefiting from this cleansing. During good times, inadequacies and a lack of ethics and/or good judgement is easier to hide. But, in a struggling economy, these shortcomings are much harder to camouflage and eventually dig a deep enough hole that cannot be scaled by those shops, restaurants and stores that should probably have never been started in the first place.
What’s left, are the smart small businesses that have lived through this challenging time. They will have learned how important it is to reduce prices and/or add value to their products and services.
As an entrepreneur and small business owner myself, I can vouch for the struggles I’ve faced this year, and can also proudly claim myself as a survivor. My company – MDzyn Solutions – helps small businesses define, design and promote their identities. My intention with the brighter future staring at us, is to implement the lessons learned by offering even greater value to my clients, and making sure that they know how much I appreciate their business.
Let the fun begin!
Good service, honesty and hard work will always serve us well.
Have you seen this new study? Small businesses are planning to hire in 2010!
Results of a new survey released today finds that almost half of small businesses (44%) plan to hire new employees next year.
The survey, conducted by Intuit Payroll, reports that small business owners are feeling more confident about the economy, with more than half (60%) saying they expect their business to grow next year.
As a small business owner, are YOU planning to hire in 2010?
Read the rest of the article: http://www.examiner.com/x-18768-Boston-Small-Business-Examiner~y2009m10d27-New-Study-Small-businesses-planning-to-hire
Excellent perspectives. Isn’t it fascinating how the cycles of life ebb and flow yet there are principles throughout our lives that remain constant including survival of the fittest and doing what is right! When all is said and done and the “analysts” look back on this past year, I suggest it will have been a commitment to the basics that enabled survival for most. As David, Mauri and Cindy previously mentioned, reputation, pride, caring, service, creativity and hard work are at the core. Certainly not rocket science! For successful companies, these characteristics are part of their culture and their brand experience, not something they turn on or off depending on the economy. Congratulations to those that have survived (including you Ms. Discher), because I do believe that while luck can play a part in success, true survival will come to those who are doing the right things for the right reasons, ethically and with pride.
I, for one, am extremely tired of hearing about all of the large profits being made by those who “create their on road to travel” when dealing with the public. Anything goes as long as you don’t get caught! I will change many of my habits in order to avoid doing business with those individuals or companies. Great insight Mary!
I agree Mary! The Law of Natural Selection is in our favor. Those of us who survive on our customer service skills, knowledge of our industry, and the pride we experience knowing we are doing the best we can do, are still making money. In the real estate industry, never have we experienced such ups and downs as we have in the past 5 years, and many agents were riding the wave, so to speak. Now, if you don’t have that foundation and reputation you will be looking for another career. But if you are still in the game, you are doing something right. Kudos to those of us who believe our success comes from each individual we service, not the volume we produce.
This issue of ethics comes up every day in our business and I agree, that good ethical behavior no longer seems to be part of the fabric of our society. And I agree with David Grese – running your business in an ethical manner IS a choice, one I make every day. I may lose some deals, but the deals that come through are better for it.
Yes, good luck to us all. And we’re all lucky to have not only an excellent designer in Mary at MDzyn Solutions, but someone who thinks outside of the box and forces me to do so as well!
Great article and I look forward to more in the future. All of us who come out of this mess whole will be better for it. We might not be better financially but our businesses will come out of this more streamlined and we should see success rapidly on the upswing. Running an ethical business during hard times or good times is more a matter of choice than anything else. I have never been a good enough liar to do anything else.
Good luck to all of us in the future and it is good to see we have the resources that Mary offers our community.
Happy to discuss your needs. email me: mary@mdzynsolutions.com
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I believe the lack of ethics is due to the lack of ethics taught in Universities and that people are just not educated in ethics nowadays.