Starting up a business is the one of the hardest things anyone could ever do. Giving up job security and a fortnightly pay cheque to have a crack at going it alone, especially when you have a family to support, is equally exhilarating and terrifying.
Well, I did it. Am I setting the world on fire? No, but I’m doing alright. By far the biggest assets have acquired over the past ten years have been the relationships I’ve built.
I have had business owners ring me up and ask what they can do to support me, or they have reached out and said good luck you will smash it. That kudos went a long way towards giving me the confidence I’ve needed to forge ahead on the tough days. I even had one business owner offer me some of his I.P.
When I reflect on why all these people wanted to help, in every single instance it was due to the relationship I had with them. Over many years of working together in various capacities, we have built trust and mutual respect.
Sales or running a business is no different. To me, success is not measured by turnover or profit – it’s measured by the relationships that you build up over time that help you get there.
I have been fortunate enough to help smaller builders, and consider all these builders not only my clients but my friends. When our business relationship eventually comes to an end, our friendships certainly won’t.
The great Maya Angelou once said, “People won’t always remember what you say or what you do, but they will always remember how you made them feel”. It really doesn’t matter what you do – you could be a sales person, a business owner, or trying to come off the tools to start something for yourself.
The most important thing in business is relationship. Start there, and the rest will follow.