The JP Revolution

We all have bad habits that stop us from reaching the level of success we want and having the lives we dream of. Some are huge like smoking and heavy drug use. Most, though, are just small things that we do that eat up large quantities of time that could be used to build our businesses. Regardless of the nature of those bad habits, they can feel nearly impossible to break.

In this episode, we take a close look at the mechanics of bad habits. It turns out that it's often our systems that fail us and not a lack of motivation and willpower. Change your systems and you can change your life.

All of us have this giant mountain of tasks that we need or want to do. Some are crucial to the success of our business and our lives. Others aren't. Some can be finished in a matter of moments while others take days. Not so coincidentally, the most frivolous tasks are often the ones that can be finished quickly. That make's them the low-hanging fruit of the time management world.

As we map out our days, it's vital that we focus on those things which will legitimately drive our business forward. In today's episode, we focus on the necessity to avoid the temptation to do that low-hanging fruit first. You may feel like you got something done, but your business doesn't grow.

One of the hardest things business owners have to do is keep their emotions out of their decision making process. Very seldom are emotional decisions in the best interest of your business. We all get worked up from time to time when something happens we don't like or when someone says something we don't agree with.... especially during the middle of a pandemic, race-related protests, and a nasty election.

When that happens, the easiest thing to do is to pop on social media and tell the world how we feel. Unfortunately, social media has created an atmosphere where we can (and do) says things that we would never say to a potential customer. News flash!!! Not only do potential customers sometimes read those, they will often make emotional decisions of their own not to use your business as a result.

In this edition of Small Business in Small Minds, we explore the simple logic behind the many of us were taught when we were kids: simply avoid talking about religion and politics whenever possible.

The newness of the COVID-19 situation has now passed. The business owners that are planning to be around when this is over are =really starting to think about what the future looks like for them. In every crisis in world history, market shares are redistributed in nearly every industry. You can either find yourself higher up the food chain, lower, or not part of that food chain at all.

The decisions you make right now will shape your business post-COVID19. Here are some things you can be doing from your home that will insure you are ready to rock and roll when the country restarts itself.

Great leaders can't lead unless there is an opportunity to lead. During crisis such as that surrounding the coronavirus, anxiety is high and panic often lies just below the surface in the minds of many people.

Such situations give business owners the chance to really separate themselves from others. Calm is contagious. If you remain calm and kind with your venders, your customers, and your employees, they'll remember that. When the smoke clears and normalcy returns, your business will benefit.

With all the uncertainty surrounding our their surrounding COVID-19, a lot of business owners are wondering what's going to happen next. Many are questioning if this is going to kick-start a recession. Fear abounds! When people are afraid they often make decisions that will have lasting unintended consequences. One common reaction is to cut back on marketing. Dozens of studies over the last hundred years have indicated that this could be the worst thing you can do and can easily lead to much worse cuts down the road. In this episode, we explore the reasons why marketing yourself properly during rough times can help guarantee your survival and significantly increase your market share when the economy comes back (and it always does).

When people hear your business' name in the community, what is their first thought? Is it positive or negative? Oftentimes, our brand isn't what we think it is (or want it to be). The brand of your business determines its success in so many ways. If the actual brand and our desired brand don't match, you cold be heading your business down a very dark path.

There are many ways to get a customer to choose your business, but perhaps the simplest is to just have your message in front of them at the exact moment they are thinking about your industry and their needs. In this edition of Small Business in Small Minds, I take a look at how important it is that you consider where your ad is being seen and what the likelihood is that your potential is customer is thinking about your business when they see your ad.

Running a small business is much harder than most people realize. When the decisions you make decide the success or failure of your business and affect the lives of your family and your employees in extreme ways, the pressure can be overwhelming. Those decisions are manageable when it involves your core business. In that particular field, you have enough expertise to feel reasonably confident in your ability to make the right choice.

What about the parts of your business you don't understand. That's when it gets hard. Most business owners know very little about marketing. As a result, they have a hard time making decisions. They know they need to advertise, but there are so many choices. Fear of making the wrong choice often paralyzes them. They simply avoid making any decisions. When it comes to spreading the word about your business, no decision is a decision... one that can stymie the growth of your business or even its ability to survive.

For many business owners, the thought of selling your business is quite daunting. Most have no idea just how much their company is worth and what they should ask for it. In the latest episode of Small Business in Small Bites, we take a close look at how just much advertising influences the asking price of your company. Advertising to build your brand truly is an investment... not just in getting customers but in your company's value itself.