I like to think that I make good business choices. I have been in the customer service industry since I was a teenager, and in the real estate business for about thirteen years now. I spent almost ten years as an account manager for a small local company where I learned lot about how not to run a business and treat people. Back them my career choices were based on money and money only. I was divorced with a small child and received no child support from my ex (that’s a whole different story about poor personal choices, but for another time). So I stayed in this miserable job and learned what I could about business and myself. When I left there to start a career in real estate I took a huge gamble on myself and it paid off.
I think from that point on my choices even though still based on finances, also took into account my own sanity and well being. I am not saying that I didn’t end up in some unfortunate business situations, but I am now able to realize that valuable lessons that I have learned.
When I first started out on my own, my choices appeared again to be based heavily on money. I needed to make the business successful, before I could really be choosey about my choices. Or did I? I was contacted shortly after starting my company by a client that I had in a previous position. I didn’t really like this client, but they had multiple properties and it would be a great jump-start for my company. They weren’t very honest people. They didn’t treat their tenants with any kind of respect and I had wished several times in the past while working with them before that I could fire them. I couldn’t because my boss at that time wouldn’t allow it. I spoke to them several times, and talked it over with my husband and business partner. He basically says the business decisions are up to me, and encouraged me to do what I felt was best. It actually was a really easy decision for me. HELL NO!!!! There was no way I was going to stat out my business that way. I turned them down and actually ended up blocking their numbers because they kept calling for advice and wanting me to re-consider. It felt really good to be able to make a choice for my business that reflected who I am as a person.
There are so many choices everyday when you are in business. You have to make a choice on what you will do that day. Will I write a blog? Will I do that bookkeeping I have been dreading? Should I invest in that particular marketing strategy? Should I get some education that may be beneficial for my business? Can I afford to do that? Should I hire someone? The list is endless.
Anyone who ha ever run a successful business knows that it is the choices that you make, that will make or break your business. Am I always going to make the right choices? No I am not. I have already made some choices today that I wish I hadn’t. That’s all part of it. I have leaned to make the best of the choices that I make, and move on. Sometimes the wrong choices are a great lesson, and sometimes the right ones are the boost that you need to believe in yourself again.
I like this topic and plan to write a few more blogs about it. I made a decision at the beginning of the year to do a challenge about blogging. It is something that I do believe is beneficial to my business, but ends up at the bottom of the list, due to the day-to-day issues that arise. Being part of the challenge is really helping me to make blogging a part of my everyday routine.
That’s a choice that I made, that I am happy with. What about you? Do you have any business choices you have made that you feel good about and would be willing to share? What about some not so good ones that might benefit those of us who haven't come upon that particular challenge yet?
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