Andrew Griffiths Blog

I encounter a lot of small business owners who struggle to reach out and ask for help when they need it. They are embarrassed or they feel isolated and they think that the issues they are facing in their business are unique to them. Of course they are not, but it sure feels that way when you are the one with the problems. 

So where can you get help in times of need? Here are a few places to get you started - 

1. Find a confidante. Someone in business preferably, and ideally a person who has been around for a while and perhaps experienced a few ups and downs. Open up to them, tell them what you are concerned about and what is scaring you. I have done this many times and I have always felt so much better after I spilled my beans.  

2. Talk to your accountant. Now I wouldn’t normally be advising you to get therapy from an accountant but they get to interact with a lot of small business owners. They will have had many other clients who have been in the same position and they may be able to shed some light on what you could do to solve your issues. 

3. See a professional - go and see you Doctor, tell them what is going on and that you need some help. They can point you in many different directions even if you don’t think it is a health related issue. Dramas in business lead to health issues and Doctors want to prevent more than heal. 

4. If you are part of a franchise network talk to other franchise owners or even head office. Odds on whatever you are struggling with, someone else has been in the same place before you and you may find the problem is resolved in a really short period of time. 

5. Talk to you other half or significant other. The old saying that a problem shared is a problem halved is very true. Trust in them to listen to you and not judge you. This is often the first step to solving real problems. 

6. Small business advisory groups - there are lots of Government based organisations set up to help business owners across a range of needs. 

7. Go online - there is a huge amount of information available online. Do a search for whatever issue it is that you are facing and you may find the answer you need. 

8. Attend a business function with a guest speaker on business. Interestingly enough people tend to open up when they are in the audience at an event like this. If they can empathise with the speaker they will share their issues with the people sitting around them. 

9. Get a business coach - this is a great idea and the perfect way to work strategically to solve any business problem that you may be having. There are lots of business coaches around and my advice is to find one that really connect with. It might take a few meetings to find the right coach but be patient and I am sure you will. 

The reality is that the more we hold issues internally, the worse they get. Let them go, most of what we worry about never happens. Tell people you can trust if you are doing it tough financially or if you are worried about the future of if you are feeling tired and burnt out. The sooner you get it out the sooner you can get the process sorted and the issues resolved. Nothing is insurmountable, but when you are in the caught in the middle of the mess it’s really hard to see your way out. 

I implore any business owner, with any issue, to share it. You will find plenty of business people who have had the exact same issue and they will be only too happy to tell you what they did to solve it. 

One of my greatest frustrations is what I call the “Small Business Syndrome” and I refer to it often in my books. This is where the eternal excuse for not being able to run a business to its full potential is the fact that it is “only a small business”. From my own experiences the best run businesses are small businesses and size is certainly no excuse for not providing great service, doing smart marketing, making great products or being innovative and dynamic. Often small business owners are almost apologetic for the fact that they are a small business. I think that it is well and truly time to move on from this mindset and embrace the fact that small businesses are the engine of the business world – there are millions of them and they generally lead the way in all industries.

Being small is no excuse – it is a wonderful opportunity. Imagine being the CEO of a huge multinational corporation – how do you make a change to the way the business operates? There needs to be countless meetings, often arguing for change, board approval, then the changes need to be handed down to next level to start the long and winding road to implementation and once this road is navigated the changes eventually reach to front counter staff who actually sell the product or service. In a small business if you want to make a change – you just do it. How empowering is this?

My main message here is to be proud of your business, regardless of the size. Building a magnificent business has nothing to do with size – it is all about attitude.

This is a fact, as your business grows and you become more successful, more distractions will begin to appear around every corner. This is a dangerous time for any business and any easily distracted entrepreneur.

It is easy to argue that these distractions are wonderful opportunities coming your way and I am sure that many of them are, but keeping a focus on your core business is essential. If you lose sight of this, by the time you regain your focus it may be too late.

I have witnessed this many times with growing businesses. The focus shifts from the business to the new opportunities and before long the main business starts to suffer. It is all about finding the balance between being open to new and exciting opportunities and still keeping an eye on your main business.

The hard part with this is that distractions are often more interesting and exciting. They often appeal to our egos. The wonderful thing about distractions and opportunities is that they are not limited – if you miss one today, another one will come along tomorrow. Accepting this takes some of the urgency out of responding to every one that comes your way.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TODAY? When the next opportunity or distraction heads your way, stop and think how is it affecting what you do? While contemplating this new possibility are there other parts of your business that you are neglecting? Being aware is half way to solving the potential problem – the other half is having the discipline to say no.