Don't get blindsided

When someone takes the initiative to start a small business, they usually possess some strong characteristic traits.

Not everyone who has an idea or product to sell has the stuff it takes to start a business venture. These folks are called wana-preneurs.  

But those bold folks who do dare to start out on their own can become victim to some of their strengths. They are usually rugged individualists, and sometimes that can insulate them from glaring mistakes because they can't see the forest for the trees. Some mistakes I have observed:

• They fall in love with there logo or brand because it's their baby. All well and good if it's effective and on point. But all too often, it's amateurish and misleading. 

• They don't know their costs and numbers is another blind spot. They price things because that's what the competition or market says that is what they should charge. If they can't figure out the cost of doing business and profit margins, they are at the mercy of the customer and consumer. They need to know their numbers and justify the price that is profitable and fair. 

• They can't manage their time is another trap that snags the solopreneur. They get bogged down in working in their business on not on their business. They end up getting behind, not following up with clients, not keeping their paperwork in order, and their schedule is dictated only by one urgent task and then another. 

• They don't have the skill sets to promote their business, product, or service. They never learned to sell, prospect, or market. They just run after the easiest path of least resistance to get to market.

• They often fly by the seat of their pants with no plan, no goals, and no structure. They are chasing one shiny object after another. 

So let me say if this is you, let us sit down and let us evaluate your business practices. We at Your Office SOS have decades of business experience and insight we can bring to help you navigate the choppy waters of the business world. See our website www.yourofficeoss.net for the details. 

Doctor Zhivago Now

I thought of what it must have been like in the time of the Russian Revolution while watching one of my favorite movies Doctor Zhivago. I think we are in the early stages of that movie here in America. 

I never thought things would get this bad here in the USA; they are. There is no getting around it. We are going to have a severe battle or revolution of some scope on our hands. I do not hear any voice on either side that is powerful or influential enough to appease the calmer voices in the middle. 

The divide is too strong, and social media reinforces that divide. We all get our confirmation bias feedback from our tribe. The media we watch panders to our given views and becomes a reality for the narrative they want to advocate. Advocacy has replaced journalism and has infected every media source we read, listen to, or follow. 

I read a blog recently when I searched for the lyrics to the song by Buffalo Springfield, "For What it's Worth" (There's battle lines being drawn And nobody's right if everybody's wrong ). The blog had a perspective on the middle that I found interesting. I hardly agree with her (when looking at her bio) in any area religiously, politically, and philosophically, but she has a point.

http://dlhalperblog.blogspot.com/2019/01/nobodys-right-if-everybodys-wrong.html

Opening a can of worms

Well, after taking last Monday off for the Labor Day Holiday, I am back doing my weekly Monday blog.

This week I am going to be addressing a topic that may trigger some folks. As they say, "fools rush in, where angels fear to tread," so here I go.

I want to address the topic of diversity and inclusion. 

First off, I am writing this as a straight, white male going on 70, which gives me a perspective on how we got here and why we got here on this topic.

One definition of diversity and inclusions parameters:

A person who identifies as a woman, a person of color, a Muslim, a member of the LGBTQ community, a foreign-born non-citizen, a disabled person, an older person, a young person, and any other underrepresented people group.

 

My question asked is why any of these qualities, traits, or ethnicities qualify anyone for anything. Nothing here addresses the fact that very short ( P.C. here: vertically challenged ) people do not make the NBA or blind (P.C. again: visually challenged) folk don't make it in NASCAR.

It seems D&I only apply when there is ambiguous subjectivity involved. 

The sports analogy shouldn't be dismissed so lightly. Why would any other endeavore so rigorously be required to slot a person in just to fill an identity role? 

Men have dominated just about every endeavor up until recently. Maybe technology levels a lot of things. Is it just because just brute strength is not as necessary as it once was? 

Why are there not more female jockey's in horse racing? I believe every major sport would love to have the first female on a men's team. I watched Anika Sorenstam play the Colonial; no one is stopping her. She just couldn't make the cut.

When we lower strength requirements for police. military and EMT personnel are we not violating 

the Hippocratic oath of, "first do no harm?"

I could go on about why. Why no Asian defensive backs in the NFL? Why so few blacks and Hispanics in hockey? These are all too rampant in sports analogies. I would get redundant.

Why do Asians dominate our schools as academic achievers? Why are there not more women plumbers? 

Every President was a male, and until just recently was there a black President. Only three females have ever run and are running for Vice-President. Was it because voters didn't vote for someone solely based on their identity. Women and minorities have had the vote all my life. 

I am not sure why certain groups and specific identifiers happen. I am sure that with today's victim mentality and identity politics so pushed by our politicians, media, and academia, there would be a better, more reasonable explanation come forth that just explicit discrimination. 

All this being said, I know that whatever opinion I have is quickly dismissed and discredited because I am an old straight white male. 

I only hope that in the future, we can ride on airplanes that are flown by and built by the most qualified folks and not the most diverse. Just an example for sure. But when identity triumphs over anything else, the results will not turn out well.