Snow Business, December 2017

Continued on page 16 www sima org snowbusiness DECEMBER 2017 SNOW BUSINESS 15 one day Failure is not an option As another example I was hiking in the mountains with a friends 10 year old son who had been asking me for a while to come along I made him aware of the distance and that I believed it was reasonable and he agreed to hike About three quarters of the way up he asked if we could turn back I asked if he would feel fulfilled if we did not reach the summit and he said he didnt know I asked if he would think it would be a cool story if he told his friends he made it three quarters of the way to the top He agreed that didnt sound quite as cool Of course decisions must be made to alter a plan if needed but at the end of the day failing to follow through because it is convenient or it is too hard is not OK in business Deal making ability I find almost all entrepreneurs I meet have an amazing self awareness and emotional maturity not only about how they feel but also how they affect the feelings of others They also have the ability to see the perspective of the client employee and or vendor and usually are able to adapt to make a deal work for both parties They usually have a high level of common sense This ability can be strengthened through self assessment profiling I have studied deal makers and can spot them from a mile away In the finance world they are known as relationship managers These people are not only subject matter experts but are able to make deals with most people they encounter Support system Employees friends family and mentors are all hugely important These people make you look good are who you work hard for and from whom you learn In the early days I thought I could do it best I had something to prove As time went on I learned how much of a positive impact a great employee in the right role can have on the business I learned how much a true friend can help lift my mood in times of doubt how much a family can support you how a great team can make all the difference and how valuable it is to listen and learn from my mentors I still have a lot to learn and something to prove but I have a team support and love to help get it done Desire to learn and humility to admit youre wrong If you think you know it all or dont have any desire to better yourself think again Running or owning a business is all about change A growing business is just like a growing child It changes constantly If you have never been in the space in which you are growing you cannot perform well unless you do everything in your power to learn before during and after you get to where you are going Humility to say I made the wrong choice is required You must take ownership and then learn from what went wrong and try again A few years back I took a course called the Landmark Forum I highly recommend it and I fund any of my employees in full if they choose to take TAX LIABILITY REGULATORY EXPERT WILLING TO BE THE BAD GUY LIMITED VACATION TIME NONSTOP WORRY FINANCIAL RISK PERSONAL SACRIFICE