A while ago one of my favourite mentors, Andrew Griffiths said to me "Do small really well". At first I wondered if he was just being supportive of small business in general, or if he had a specific thing in mind when sharing this pearl of wisdom with me.
Either way, it has had me thinking about what this really means for me and what the key lessons are in this powerful little comment. After some thought and some real life application, here are my key take outs: Every business leader faces the age-old issue of managing time. The truth is, we have all been given the same 24 hours each day. So we can’t actually manage any of it. It’s set, it’s solid, non-negotiable. No matter how much we try, the next hour will still kick over in exactly 60 minutes time. What we can change however is how we prioritise the activities during that hour, that day or that year.
Richard Branson has the same 24 hours as you or I - he just prioritises what he does with his a little differently. Content Inc. by Joe Pulizzi is a very exciting read! As Founder and CEO of Content Marketing Institute, he certainly knows and understands the power of content marketing.
In Content Inc. Pulizzi uses case studies to demonstrate how entrepreneurs use content to build massive audiences and create radically successful businesses. He challenges us to "build your audience first, then create your product". His not-so-typical business advice isn't just for start ups though, he also articulates clearly how an established business can use the principle of content marketing effectively. Why are you in business?
Why do you do what you do? What drives you? When I speak with business leaders I am often challenged to assist them grow revenue and profits. Which, in business of course should be a goal. But there are many ways to do this; many ways to set yourself apart from others. Sometimes there is a magic sales trick that can transform a business, but most often, it's actually an alignment of values that drives business success. And this is driven by your why. Putting your hand up for pro-bono work can be very rewarding. Of course we immediately consider the reward for the organisation or charity we are doing work for, but it can be just as rewarding for the professional donating their time.
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AuthorRoxanne Grey |