What Will Your Customers Want Next?

CEO Letter

Are you tired on a regular basis? Because I find myself increasingly tired in this age of 24/7 communication where we’re always available at a moment’s notice thanks to our social media and smartphone-driven world. And in a world where you’re in constant communication, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed to the point that when things are going well, we take them for granted and push them to the back burner. This can be a dangerous thing for a business owner. How do we fight the fatigue of this fast-paced, full-of-life existence, and not become complacent when our business is doing well?

We’ve all heard the expression “Failure to plan is planning to fail.” Depending on where you’re at in life, that phrase can take on several meanings. But when you’re a business owner it should mean at least one thing: Don’t be complacent!

Complacency exploits our shortcomings and preys on our securities. When you aren’t planning for the unexpected, the unexpected can hit you like a ton of bricks because you stop looking for the hazards. When things are going well we must assume that at some point, we’re going to hit a roadblock of some sort. Use the times when things are going well to not only create safety nets but also look for new opportunities. Thomas Jefferson said, “We shall have no better conditions in the future if we are satisfied with all those which we have at present.”

I’m certainly not saying you shouldn’t take pride in or enjoy your success. But if you want to remain relevant to consumers, you should be asking yourself:

• What are my customers going to want next?
• How do I see the industry landscape changing over the next five years, and how will my business have to change to evolve simultaneously?
• What am I going to do to make my business more attractive than my competitor’s?

So don’t grow your book of business to a certain amount and then sit back and be satisfied. Don’t get to a point in life where you think you’ve achieved what you wanted and then let yourself sit idle. Be the catalyst for growth within both your business and personal life. Be inventive. Be daring. Face challenges. Take stock each and every month of what’s working and what’s not, and revise your plans as needed to sustain the evolution of your business. A leader sees new possibilities and believes they can become a reality!