Small Business Owner Insights

One thing I have noticed about successful people is that they have a firm grasp of reality.

Let’s define terms for a minute, shall we? Reality is not what we wish it was, what we want it to be, or how things should be. Reality is what is.

Example: I like wearing t-shirts, khaki pants and sandals. It is what I feel most comfortable in, what I am most productive in. When I call on investors for funding a project, this is not what I wear. Instead, I break out one of 3 ties, the grey worsted and the black oxfords. Now, I could show up in my work clothes, boldly stating that it does not matter what I am wearing because it is my ideas they are investing in, not my clothes. I also would not get very far.

Should it matter what sort of clothes I wear? Of course not. Does it matter? Of course it does.

What would your response be if your spouse was in the hospital with a brain tumor and the surgeon showed up for your first meeting wearing a Tank Top, Bermuda Shorts and flip-flops? I thought so.

One of the forums I frequent had a thread started by a contractor who was bitching because the company he dealt with (which, it turns out, was his only customer, and thus very important to him) ignored his 15 day NET terms on his invoice and often cut him a check a week to 10 days late. It also turns out they had told him if he would sign up for direct deposit he would get paid on time. His position was that the terms were clearly stated on the invoice, why should he have to bend to them and sign up for direct deposit? He is ignoring quite a bit of reality:

1. Many companies only cut checks 2 times a month.
2. A huge company is not going to change their entire accounting cycle so he can get a check when he wants it.
3. Many, many people wish their accounts payable would pay within 30 days, which is what is happening.
4. Besides, they (quite generously, I think) had given him an option so he could get paid when he wanted.

The way I see it, he has two options:

1. Sign up for direct deposit and get paid when he wants to, or…
2. Bitch about how wrong it is, fume on message boards to people not capable of fixing the problem, suffer in his righteous indignation and get paid when they want to pay him.

By dealing with, and accepting, reality, you put yourself far ahead of the pack. While they are bitching and whining (not uncommon behavior in today’s entitlement based culture), you are driving forward, adapting, improvising, overcoming. After all, the reason I am in business is to be able to accomplish my goals, none of which is the right to wear a tank top to a board meeting.