One of the big lessons I have learned as a small business owner is the importance of a winning local economy. For sure, the roller coaster ride of the past few years, some weeks worrying about whether we would have enough cash to meet payroll and the constant media attention on “The Economy” have provided plenty of anxious moments. But in the midst of it all I have had a growing understanding and appreciation that just as “no man is an island”; neither can a business be successful all by itself.
Like many others I grew up in a sports-minded family and was taught that in competition there are winners and losers, and “We don’t like to lose!” I often forget in the hype of March Madness that only one team gets to end their season with a win while the remaining 64 teams finish off their year with a loss. With that mindset it would be easy to think that a business should be run the same way… Beat the competition! Watch your back, and keep your pencil sharp!
However, in contrast to my competitive upbringing, I continue to be reminded every day that any success we see in our business is because we are participating in someone else’s success. I have heard it called Win-Win, but at Pinnacle Signs and Graphics we call it the Enterprise System.
I often tell our new clients, “We will do all we can with our skills and abilities to make you successful, because we want you to grow and need more of our products and services down the road… and while we do that we will charge a fair price because when you come back we want to still be in business as well!”
If our clients are successful, then we will be successful, and then our suppliers will grow and be successful as well and our local community will prosper. It’s all a Win-Win!