Small firms facing uncertain futures have played a vital role during the pandemic. A report from FSB highlighted how they’ve engaged with local communities and how this is shaping their future. In this section, hear how local firms have coped, what the future holds,
The vital role of small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic
57%
23%
30%
16%
carrying out community roles
volunteering and providing PPE and accommodation to key workers
of all small business owners prioritised and supported vulnerable customers
developed a new or increased their - online presence
PHIL NASSAU Managing Director at ActionCOACH Leicester
I
read a quote that said: ‘when the winds of change come, some build a wall, some build a windmill’. As I have watched and been actively involved working with businesses throughout this period of change, this quote sums up much of what I have observed. Hoping business will eventually go back to as it was before is a road that will lead to a dead end. Bill Gates once said: ‘success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.’ The business world has changed forever so now is about a time of planning, of taking the position of treating your business as if you had just purchased it. In any new business venture, you must ask what changes you would make to bring about success today and for tomorrow. What is the vision? What is the purpose of the business? Most businesses make a shabby job of assessing this aspect of their organisation.
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So where to start? We all have that genius inside us and, if we allow, we will find the answer. The first step is to define the beliefs about ourselves and the nature of our abilities and look to our own experiences and the experiences of others. Going through this process will open up the boundaries to what you can accomplish. Taking some time out to consider how you can change your business to be a success in the new environment is key. If you have not done so, do it now as it will pay dividends over time. Look at all areas of the business – your team, your product or service, how you go to market, if you’re in the right market. Only when you align yourself with the present moment do you access what you can achieve, even in these difficult times. People will tell you that success is achieving what you set out to do. For many, success is about winning and finding recognition or prosperity and see these as essential ingredients in any success. What people don’t tell you – because they don’t know – is that you cannot become successful, you can only be successful. Your success is only in the present moment. You have a choice: to carry on building the wall, or start to build a windmill.
CREDIT: NEW HORIZONS BY FSB
and their advice to you
