Key Points For Business Owners (Series)

By Debbie Nicholson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-nicholson-24a53627/

My role in the printing industry helps me understand the deep fears and exhaustion of printing owners. Here are some concerning comments from owners that I often hear…

• “I’m so tired of printing; there’s no life in it anymore.”
• “I have tried to build a legacy for my children, but they want no part of it.”
• “I own my building, but my printing company is worthless.”
• “I don’t know where to go from here.  Printing is all I’ve known.”
• “What we are doing here just isn’t working anymore!”
• “Retaining customers is becoming harder and harder.
• “Hiring motivated sales representatives continues to be fruitless and a waste of time.”
• “Employees clock in and out but fail to show up.”
• “Collecting accounts receivable is time-consuming and more challenging than ever.”
• “Staff and labor shortages are putting pressure on my current staff.”
• “Our cost of goods (COGS) is out of control – live pricing seems to be the new normal.”
• “We have lost pride in our craftsmanship and customer loyalty.”
• “Our profit margins have dropped substantially – threatening our very existence.”

As owners, we often don’t discuss our innermost business fears and challenges, perhaps to avoid judgment or pity or simply because we are private people and no one needs to know our business - (sound familiar)? However, we carry these thoughts everywhere: driving to and from work, standing in line while grabbing coffee, or even sitting at the dinner table with our families, often not fully present.

So, join me in the next five publications, and I will help you gain a clearer understanding of the cause’s impact. This will enable you to develop effective and sustainable solutions—and yes, they may involve changes within your company.

When changes impact our business and we refuse to cooperate, we will ultimately face the consequences.  We cannot and will not stay competitive unless we recognize the need for change!

Now, let’s get back to celebrating our successes for a change!