The year 2020 is underway and it is time to check in on New Year’s Resolutions. Last month in this space I outlined five categories of resolutions for business owners and operators. One category was LEARNING; making time to learn something new, learning to let go of what is not working anymore, and stepping outside your comfort zone.
I recently had an opportunity to join with about twenty others in an adventure that will address all three of these learning areas. The Newberry Downtown Development Association, (the NDDA), is presenting a ten-week training program called FastTrac and the first meeting took place in a classroom at Piedmont Technical College – Newberry campus. For many of the attendees this was the first time they’d been on campus to see what a wonderful facility we have for learning right here in Newberry. For some, it’s been a few years since they sat in a classroom, held a fat textbook in their hands and tried to take notes while listening to a fascinating speaker. These students, your fellow business people from around Newberry County, have resolved to make time to learn something new, committing three hours in the classroom and, as they learned that night, probably three more hours during the week to work on assignments. Bravo to them, I say.
But perhaps you do not have that much time to devote right now. Maybe you have not made your 2020 business resolutions yet. What else might you do? I see many people spending a lot of time scrolling through screens on their phones. Maybe you do that, I know I do. I start out thinking I will just look at Facebook to see what’s happening now, who is posting interesting marketing materials, who has a novel promotional technique, how has someone handled an unpleasant comment on their business Facebook page. And suddenly, half-an-hour has vanished.
If you’re no longer learning how to improve your own business doing this, how about letting this behavior go and do something else. If you want to use your phone because it’s so convenient, why not subscribe to a business e-newsletter or follow a blog that will provoke a new thought or idea instead. The following are some links to sites I have found interesting over the past couple of years.
N. David Milder calls himself “The Downtown Curmudgeon,” which is probably why I like reading his comments. He talks about downtown revitalization issues and grumbles about other things. Here are two links:
https://www.ndavidmilder.com › downtown-revitalization › downtown-trends…
https://www.ndavidmilder.com › blog
Smallbiztrends.com is an interesting site, with a collection of good reads and a newsletter to which you can subscribe. If you think adding some sort of eCommerce business might be good for your company, you may get a good idea from this article from November 5, 2019.
Stepping outside your comfort zone is always conducive to learning. What is something you’ve never done but perhaps should? How about finding out when your Town or City Council meets and go to a meeting. Just sit and listen. Go back again. Listen some more. If you do not know who your representative on the Council is, find out. Schedule a time to get acquainted. Do you need more help in your business but do not know how to find a good employee? Go talk to one of the local personnel agencies., schedule a meeting at an educational center such as Piedmont Tech, Newberry College, the Newberry County Career Center. You may find the perfect solution.
It is never too late. If you have not made a New Year’s Resolution for your business yet, you can do it today. I resolve to provide you with additional ideas next month.