Sustaining Business Newsletter

Character Always Counts
By Melanie Smollen

According to the Small Business Association, 95 percent of small businesses fail within five years of startup.  Ask a hundred people why they fail and you'll get a hundred different answers.  They range from the obvious (poor location, poor product or service, employee incompetence, the overall economy, etc.) to the downright mysterious.  However, even if a business is run by the book, there are still causes for failure that aren't so obvious.  Poor character, low morale, a lack of clear vision, and a lack of true passion for the product or service will close a business as surely as poor financial management.

"It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action and discipline that enabled us to follow through."  Zig Ziglar, Author and Motivational Speaker  

When a business operates with integrity and compassion for its customers and employees it sometimes results in favorable attention, but when it operates without those things it always becomes notorious.  A business might have a reputation for being extravagant or unusual - and indeed many do - with no problem.  But seldom does any business get a free pass on "right and wrong".   A rare few manage to operate for many years with a malfunctioning moral compass but when they finally fail, they fail spectacularly and the general public is usually delighted to read about their misdeeds on the front page.

 "The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire." - Field Marshal Ferdinand Foch  

Passion is the oil in the gears of monotonous work.  It shows in the hundredth smile you give to a difficult customer.  Your passion should be a driving force that gets you out of bed day after day to pursue what never really seems like work, but more like playing a good game of chess.  Do you have vendors or businesses you use repeatedly even though their product may not be the best available but you maintain your loyalty simply because they're good people?  I can name a few restaurants that won't have the opportunity to serve me again simply because the last server I had was indifferent to my needs. Whether you realize it or not, your business has its own personality that is derived from the collected personalities of all who work there.  That personality is the most important part of your entire brand.  You may have a great business plan, a unique product, a memorable name, a stellar logo and a popular location but if your business has neither character nor personality, you risk running your customers off before they ever get to really know you.

Hendrickson Business Advisors is a management and marketing consulting firm.  If you would like to comment on this article, discuss it in more detail or learn how our management philosophies can help your business grow, please contact us.