I just recently got back from a trip to West Texas. It’s my normal bi-annual trip that I do every year with my dad. Just like every trip, I plan on shooting tons of photos for use in future art shows. If there is something worth taking a picture of, Its going to be out there. As I was waiting around for the light I was thinking about this blog and how its syndicated on my facebook profile. It had occured to me that I have been wasting a really powerful tool.
Originally when I started this blog, I was prodded by my good friend Elizabeth Marshall. I never wanted to blog about anything but she really encouraged me to write about business. So many of my previous posts have been strictly about business. Then last week, I had this great idea to use my blog to express these same ideas through art.
It might sound a little weird, but much of what we do as humans is visual. In the weeks to come I do plan on doing more to (www.mckane.com/blog) the blog. You might have noticed the name of the blog is now called “The Business End”. I hope to share more visuals with you in a way that makes sense to you as a viewer and I hope that in some way you can see a message that will ultimately inspire you.
My main website features much of my work (www.mckane.com) but in the days to come, you will see new images that reflect some of the topics discussed here!
I cannot tell you how many times I have personally thought something was a good idea before I started it. Then you move forward and realize that maybe it wasn’t so hot of an idea.
Take this guy for instance. I don’t know his name and he seems like a semi-intelligent person. He is just trying to get to his car. But keep in mind this image was taken in Dallas. He was out of his element. Dallas rarely sees snow, much less 7 inches of snow. Moments after this image was shot he was laying flat on his back frantically working his way back on to his feet. I was going to take the second picture as a follow-up to this shot but really felt guilty as I really should have been there to help him up. The good news is that no lawyers were hurt in the filming of this shot.
Going back to my point, sometimes we think we can just jump into things based on our previous experiences when perhaps we are out of our element and maybe we don’t think this all the way through. I have done it many times. Both literally and metaphorically speaking. It’s a crap shoot. You never know if it will work out in the end.
It is very important to get a team of individuals around you who can advise you before you make that next faulty step. Chances are you know a few people or know of a person who has the experience to help you. Why not ask them? The worst they can do is say no. I have several people I rely on for advice and it really does help. I have avoided bad investments and dealings with individuals who would have otherwise brought me down.
So the next time you think about winging it, remember this guy. He fell flat in the middle of a busy road. The important thing however is that he refused to lay there and wallow in his demise. He got back up and moved on. A great lesson for all of us.
Several years ago I remember working through a number of issues that I knew could be solved by some of my peers if they just would get involved. I was facing financial meltdown because our company funds had a greater outflow than inflow. I was not even sure where my office rent was going to come from! For those who know, this is not a fun place to be!
This is a story that can be told no matter where you live. It’s not easy coming up with solutions like these. Sure I could rely on my peers to bail me out and more than likely I would have been in the same situation all over again. Just like anything else in life, the things you fight for are the things you keep. That’s not to say everything should be a fight, its just that when you do actually work through something you have a sense of accomplishment and look forward to what’s next knowing that hurdle has passed. I remember working at my old company right after September 11th and thinking that I was going bankrupt for sure. I remember sitting in my office working out the issues and trying to figure out the best way to find a solution. The more I did, the more I felt pity for myself and then focused on the problem which obviously does no good at all. Then walked in Owen, the owner of the building. He said: “How is it going in here?” I told him the story and my bleak outlook on life. I also had to tell him I wasn’t sure how to pay rent which for the record is the worst thing to have to explain. He looked at me and smiled then he said:”I’ve been down that road, I know you will come up with a solution. Just stay here and lock yourselves in until you come up with a plan.” Then he just walked away. At the time, I’m not sure if he understood my situation or if he was being mafioso by saying: “I know you will come up with a plan”. Either way, I was destined to find a way.
There was a contract that was sitting out there for almost $40,000. I had been trying to get these guys to agree on terms for I don’t know how long. I was determined to find a way to get something going. I worked relentlessly and as a result, I not only closed them I also got 2 other contracts as a result of me tirelessly pursuing a deal. I solved my cash problem but still needed to understand why I got there to begin with. Now that I was able to go back to Owen and pay my rent he looked at me and said: “See, I told you”. I smiled nervously and thought “You have NO IDEA!” In reality, I’m sure he had every idea since his company started out much like mine and he has had his share of problems. At the time, its hard to see others problems when you have one right in your face.
Back to the real issue, My cash flow was crazy! I had people spending money that was stupid! We were paying for $20 services here and there for whatever reason. I tried to go through it all but it was too much so I called the bank and asked for another card. They cancelled the one everyone had on file and then came the calls. I screened each vendor one by one and was able to reduce my outflow by 30%. This kept me in business and its a lesson that is was able to work through. I’m sure your stories are smilar.
One thing is true, I don’t care what business you have. If you think that running a business is home free, no one telling you what to do, being your own man or whatever pipe dream you tell yourself… None of it is true. Its 1000 times harder than what you think on the onset. Rest assured its possible only if you apply yourself. Owning a business is about trading one problem for another. The success of your business is directly related on how well a problem solver you are.
And that is food for thought… jm
