A few days from now, we might have a new president and a shift of power in the Senate. We are sure to have a new mayor for Hawaii Island. Everyone has an opinion about who they would like and which party they prefer. This post is not about who I would like to win; it focuses on what all this means to my business, Kona Impact.
Not much, I’d argue.
Certain taxes, regulations, the business climate, etc. affect my business as they affect every other company. I assign the weight of these issues as a tiny part of what actually affects my business, maybe 10% of my results. That said, there is very little I can (other than reacting) to these external issues. I can also overcome these issues by smart planning and running the business well.
The other 90%? Here’s my somewhat arbitrary list of things affect my business:
- Offering products and services appropriate to my market
- Having exceptional customer service
- Fast turnaround time
- A well-executed marketing plan
- A pricing structure that makes sense for my market
- Taking good care of my employees
- Investing in machines that make us more efficient
- Investing in machines that allow us to offer new products
- Maintaining machines in top working order
- Strong inventory management
- Not wasting the company’s money; solid financial management
- Being able to pivot in bad times: pandemic & recession
- Answering the phone and returning the email
- Keeping the office clean and efficient
I’m sure there are many others, but my point is that what happens in Washington, D.C., Hilo, or Honolulu is not what makes Kona Impact successful. It is the daily attention to our market, our customers, our products, our people, and our system that have the most significant effect on our results. They are all, for the most part, in our control.
So, if your candidate does not win in this election, commiserate with your beverage of choice, and then get up and go to work on Wednesday with a focus on what you can control.
What can you do today to make your business better?