#1: Serve and Grow
When I first started my business, I went into every conversation with two words in my mind - "serve" and "grow." I wanted to make sure that I was focused on serving the needs of those I met. This meant really listening to them, their stories, their backgrounds, their personality types and preferences. It also meant asking lots of questions - sometimes questions that appeared intrusive or even off-subject, but questions designed to uncover the information I needed to serve them effectively.
The second word "grow" was for me. I wanted to make sure that I remained a lifelong learner. That I never got comfortable or thought I knew it all, but that I was always learning from others. I've seen how quickly a person can move from being viewed as a novice to being seen as an expert and the trap that becomes as it stunts one's growth and maturity.
#2: Operations / Service / Marketing
It quickly became apparent why so many people start businesses and so few persist successfully. It's that there are three elements to any business: operations, service, and marketing. The terms may be different in your world, but the principles are the same. There is stuff that needs to be done to keep the business running - like paying bills, having business cards designed and printed, and keeping your e-mail server up and running (I was reminded of this one recently). You've got to take care of the clients (whatever you may call them) that you have currently, and you've got to figure out how to keep new clients coming. Many people are good at one or two of these, but when they neglect the third, the business can only survive for so long before it implodes (or, less dramatically, withers).
As organizations grow they can hire people as specialists in each of these areas and, if not careful, people within the organization can forget why employees in these other areas are necessary. Teachers really can lose sight of the possibility that a school district may wither from lack of students, if not actually die, over time.
#3: Owner vs. Employee
A recent newsletter addressed this distinction so I'll simply point you to our Newsletter Archive (click link) if you want to read more about this. People need to recognize whether they prefer being an owner or an employee and then whether they are cut out to be or can become what they prefer. I am an owner at heart and that has been reflected in my career path even through the many years that technically I was an employee. The real question in starting this business was whether I could operate effectively as an owner without a regular paycheck.
#4: Ideal Client
Finally, I knew I needed to make the move from being desperate to being hungry, without ever losing that hunger. I love my clients and, as I always say, am committed to their professional and personal success, but when you first establish your business (organization), it may not be clear who your clients will be, let alone your ideal clients.
At Julian Consulting, our ideal clients have the following six characteristics:
- They are self-aware leaders who surround themselves with those having complementary strengths;
- They are committed to professional and personal success;
- They lead organizations structured as teams;
- They and the teams they head are recognized by their peers as successful;
- They are continually growing and improving, both individually and corporately; and
- They invest resources (time, money, personnel) into the ongoing success of the organization.
This is not to say that we will not work with clients lacking one of these characteristics, but that part of moving from desperate to hungry means that we recognize where we tend to be most successful (of greatest value to our clients) and so we look for individuals and organizations that meet these criteria.
At Julian Consulting, we are here to help you succeed by learning what you seek and designing pathways and supporting structures to get you there, along with accountability to the behavioral steps your journey requires.
