Businesses making it work in this decade

Taking this opportunity to wish all readers all the very best for 2020, makes me stop to think about what would it take for those who are in business to really experience the best of 2020. For many in business, there appear to be more questions than answers. which is coupled with an air of uncertainty.

Often, it can feel as if our environment is spinning out of control with events and experiences taking place at a rapid pace. Influential factors appear at a rate that is faster than the solutions required and often before the knowledge we need as business owners even seems to be available.

Many have embarked upon the path of business ownership, being disenchanted for a variety of reasons of what traditional employment was offering. There are lots of claims of violated rights and privileges. However, when you look at those within a business, they treat themselves far worse than the environment out of which they emerged.

Quickly they realized that there is no increased pay when they want it. there is a reluctance to take the vacations they previously believed they were entitled to, and in many instances, they don't even pay themselves at the most basic levels of remuneration. They place this misguided approach on a word they call commitment, which they wrongly define as taking the worst treatment possible to satisfy their current situation for a better future.

Feel good terms like delayed gratification emerge without a real plan of when the delays can be finally realized. Misery also loves company, since these business owners feel that others must also be sacrificial like them and committed to a cause that is not readily defined.

Rather than go on as to why businesses don't work and the challenges they face; let's turn our attention to what is required to really make them work.

• Money follows management. Your management is not required if you are going to be a boss. Rather if you will humble yourselves to become servant leaders you will stand a better chance of success. How are you adding value to the lives of others that your business interacts with both internally and externally?  Are you selecting your team members well? Are you helping them to develop the competence to cope with the rigours of the job at hand? Are you getting their feedback from the trenches and are you well equipped mentally and physically to provide the resources to capitalize on available opportunities?
• Finance raises questions of having enough money to execute your plans, to develop opportunities so that they more from potential to reality. Can you manage your cash flow well? Do you have enough working capital, and do you know what working capital even is? Have you identified where you can get the funding you require and what the requirements would be that need to be in place? 
• Marketing when examined often reveals that many entities are functioning on being top secret. No one knows about them and what is required to interact with these entities. There is no real marketing plan nor approach with many entities just hoping to throw enough mud against the wall and hopes that something sticks. Markets are not well defined, making it all the more difficult to target effectively. 
• Operations are generally undercapitalized making execution all the more difficult. Often business owners run around trying to do everything themselves, even though this does not really help them capitalize on economies of scale. As you enter into or seek to expand your business, there are many things that you will not know. So who do you have on your team? At the very least you will need the following:
• A good attorney - remember the law is vast and all attorneys cannot adequately cover all aspects of the law. You will have needs for attorney's based on a number of criteria - contracts, intellectual property for example
• A good accountant - it is necessary that your financial and managerial accounting information and systems be kept current. If you do not understand the different approaches in accounting then you need to get that advice. Contact us for a more in-depth discussion and possible recommendations based on your area. 
• Human capital - with the changes and demands of dealing with people internally and externally; you will need someone to assist you in navigating this landscape often governed by the Employees Rights Act. It is just as it sounds and you can find the employees have all the rights if you are not compliant. 
• Sound business advisory services are going to help you pull all the moving parts of the business together in a manner that is cohesive and that works together so that there are traction and progress.  
• Statutory compliance is key and knowing your obligations helps with your planning. It also makes it easier for other entities to interact with you. If your business is incorporated then you must practice good governance. 

This short article only provides an overview, and serves as a quick guide to help you keep on target with the growth and development of your business. 

Feel free to ask questions and start a discussion with other readers. It is important to get the best benefits and experiences of others.  Happy New Year to you. Here's wishing you a successful decade in your businesses.