Adapting your business

19/02/13

Recently published by our business coach partner, Rasheed Ogunlaru, 'Soul Trader - Putting the Heart Back into Your Business' helps entrepreneurs follow their passion and build a business you and your customers will love.

This is the final article sharing tips and insight from the books main principles.

Rasheed runs the Your life, your business workshop in the Centre.

All change

Everything has and will change: you, your mindset, your customers, the economy, your industry, those in your life…everything. It is changing all the time. No two days are the same.

Perhaps you have changed careers and even businesses or products several times. The funny thing is we are duplicitous when it comes to change. On the one hand we want it; more customers, cash, opportunities. On the other hand we still want the comfort and certainty of other things in our life, industry and business remaining the same.

Aware

So the first thing is to be aware.

Where are you at personally and professionally?
What’s going on in your life, your business and your business or environment?
What’s really important, what should be your priorities and what resources do you have and need?

Accept

Once you accept that change will come into your life, your business and your environment, it becomes far easier to prepare, plan and progress. Unless you accept change, you will become stuck, scared and in trouble. Remember that business is all about changing, creating and helping serve people with what they need.

Adapt and act

So what things do you need to address? Where are things heading? What skills or expertise and products do you need? What information do you additionally need?

Identify three actions that you are going to take as a result of these articles – and decide when and with whose help you will address them. Build, utilise and support your network.

Face, shape and embrace change

So what is it that you want from here? Perhaps for you it’s about scaling the business up with new products, customers, staff or premises. Maybe it’s about diversifying or simplifying. Maybe it’s even about selling up, getting a business partner or moving on.

Give yourself space. Even merely exploring this and what you want now and in the future can be helpful. Business gives you an opportunity to actually be the change – in your life, in your business, in your industry and in the world.

Put the heart back into your business

We’ve reached the end of this series; you’ve explored clarity, customers, courage, co-operation, conversations, creativity compassion – and change – which will happen throughout.

There will be challenges and ups and downs. Foster a healthy, flexible, open mind-set. But also be sure to trust and follow your heart and use all these tools, insights to help you through the journey.

Find out more about Rasheed and Soul Trader - Putting the Heart Back into Your Business