If someone asked you to describe your business in a few words, how would you do it?

If it takes you a few minutes to describe all the things that you do; you probably need to think more about what’s really important to your business. And your audience will probably be stifling yawns.

On the other hand, if you can answer too quickly, “I’m an accountant” or “I sell watches”, you might be limiting yourself too much. To most people, calling yourself an accountant doesn’t just mean you work out numbers, it comes along with certain stereotypes, like being very formal and boring. The danger comes from thinking of yourself this way and being subtly pulled to act just like the stereotype.

Try adding a little twist to your summary. Maybe you’re “Toronto’s friendliest accountant”. Not only will this help customers remember you, but it helps you think of ways you can stand out even more. Maybe you should use plain language and graphs to help your clients understand their financial situation. Maybe you can send handwritten birthday cards or wear more casual and colourful clothes.

When summarizing your business, tell people what you do, but also what makes you different.

We’re an odd group.  A collection of small business people, non-profit volunteers, and motivated employees going beyond the call of duty.  We’re scattered all around the world, young and old.  Most of us have never met, maybe only shared a few words by email.  And yet, we share the bond of all being sculptors of change.  We aren’t content to take the easy route and just settle into our place in the world.  We pose one burning question: Can we overcome all the obstacles and hardships that will block our way towards carving out the change we need?

To our friends who bravely work on rebuilding Afghanistan while fighting still rages on:  yes we can.

To the quiet but resolute young lady who abandoned her safety net to write a novel and seek out how to have a greater impact:  yes we can.

To all the entrepreneurs whose loved ones accuse them, “You’re crazy.  You can’t make a living doing this.”  Tell them:  yes we can.

To the multi-talented dreamer who won’t let the mounting chains of debt stop him from finding the path towards change:  yes we can.

To the artisan who continued crafting delightful soaps while fighting misguided legislation that could sweep it all away:  yes we can.

To the volunteers who turn away material rewards so that they can provide crayons for hospitalized children or shelter to the sexually abused:  yes we can.

To my closest friend whose battle with depression took him inches from death, but couldn’t stop him from making his vision a reality:  yes we can.

We may all be carving out change in different areas, but we share the strength of the human spirit as our chisel.

I just finished reading Steve Pavlina’s new book called Personal Development for Smart People.  It boils down the teachings of hundreds of self-help books into one framework based on the idea that an individual should consciously strive to live with the three core principles of truth, love, and power.  The book is full of practical, down-to-earth ideas about how to develop and apply these principles.

There’s no question that in any small business, the personal effectiveness of its core members is hugely important.  However, I find that thinking of an organization like a separate individual can produce helpful insights.  Let’s take a look at how thinking of the principles of truth, love, and power as applied to a small business can give you ideas to improve.

Truth:
- What external sources can you learn from?  e.g. advisors, blogs, books, similar businesses
- Do all the important people in your company regularly talk directly with customers?
- Do you have easy access to the numbers on the trends for your sales and expenses?
- Do you have easy access to find out how much inventory you have and where?
- Do you have checks and balances in place for your decision-making processes?

Love:
- Do your company’s workspace and culture provide a positive working environment?
- Do your employees feel valued and work together well?
- Does your company build a strong enough bond with its customers to make them want to talk about it?
- How can you further build your company’s reputation and exposure to your target market?
- Is your company socially and environmentally responsible?  What contributions can you make in the community?

Power:
- How quickly can you perform common tasks like invoicing customers?
- How is the financial health of your organization?
- Do you have sufficient cash or credit to invest in new initiatives?
- Do your employees have the right tools and skills to be fully productive?
- How powerfully are you able to respond to change from your customers or competitors?

This multi-dimensional way of thinking can help you identify often neglected aspects of your business that could be improved.