by TERRY CAPPS
Buda Chamber of Commerce
I remember that day vividly, even though it was over 10 years ago. I was leafing through the mail and a seminar flyer caught my eye…something about “how to operate a music business better”…Ho hum, I muttered; I scoffed at the notion of attending a fairly expensive seminar, and quite far away for that matter, as one that would produce few results. We’ll continue that seminar story at a later date, but for now, suffice it to say, I attended the event. But before going, I was tasked to read Michael Gerber’s “The E-Myth Revisited” or “Why most small businesses don’t work and what to do about it.” The book tells the story about a prospective shopkeeper (but great pie maker) wanting to open her own pie business. Why? Because she likes to bake pies and wants to sell them and make money.
The book relates a compelling narrative of why many of us want to own and operate a small business. No more being underappreciated, no more answering to a tyrannical boss…you get the idea. Logically, Mr. Gerber points out, we’ll be wearing three hats as a new business owner; entrepreneur, manager and technician. Furthermore, as we wear the various hats, our business proceeds through phases such as infancy, adolescence and hopefully, into maturity.
Much of his dialogue struck a nerve: “In the beginning, nothing is too much for your business to ask; as the technician, you’re accustomed to “paying dues” so the hours devoted to the business are not spent grudgingly, but enthusiastically. There’s work to be done and that’s what you’re all about !!...your middle name is work…and so you work 12, 14 hours per day, 7 days a week…Even when you’re home, you’re at work…all your thoughts, your feelings…you’re consumed by it; totally invested in doing whatever is necessary to keep it alive!! Thus, in the infancy stage, you become the master juggler, trying to keep all the balls in the air.” Does any of this sound familiar?
Later in the book, he drives home an important message about the “turn key” revolution, or processing written procedures into your operation, which can ultimately lead to franchising. Thus, a well-written operations manual outlining all tasks, so everyone is performing tasks the same way, is the way to go.
It’s a very good read, one that helps us rethink the reasons we opened a business in the first place…and resolves many issues surrounding that decision.
