Becoming a Diverse Student
Maintaining a constant, up-to-date knowledge of the latest trending business practices can be taxing to say the least. Some find podcasts to be the best source of knowledge. Not to diminish the value of podcasts, books however are exhaustive labors of constant editing and pursuit of perfection towards a singular, researched message. To trust a business coach, first you must understand their background and history of diverse knowledge. The next question is do you find this applicable to the unknowns in your business’s current state as well as future endeavors? If you’re not sure this is a good fit, a few of my favorite editorial quotes will be accompanied here.
“The most powerful of all human sensory abilities, however, is vision. The human body has about eleven million sensory receptors. Approximately ten million of those are dedicated to sight. Some experts estimate half of the brain’s resources are used on vision. Given that we are more dependent on vision than on any other sense, it should come as no surprise that visual cues are the greatest catalyst of our behavior.” Atomic Habits by James Clear (Page 84)
Applying Knowledge into Growth Strategy
Any business owner or business coach for that matter can read books or listen to podcasts then regurgitate that information. But how do you apply it holistically to dominate in the world of business?
Let’s take the excerpt above from Atomic Habits, which should be read by every business owner in my honest opinion. If vision is the most powerful sense, why do we trust the pictures taken to represent our business to a teenager with a cell phone or basic camera to handle these “insignificant” daily tasks? One of the first initiatives I implemented when I began my journey with Sun Stoppers back in 2019 was I hired the same professional photographer I used at Hypercar Development to take photos of every high end car that rolled into each of the 9 Charlotte shop locations. These same caliber photos enabled me to sell McLaren builds including engine and full carbon fiber upgrades totaling to an upwards of $250,000 (that’s on top of the cost of the exotic car).
Pictures of higher end cars subliminally lower the concerns of those who own new cars of lesser value. Silly questions such as “Do you have proper shop insurance?” are no longer asked when a high quality canvas print picture of a half million dollar Lamborghini Aventador is hanging in the shop lobby taken outside or inside that same shop. Do you still think you should not only deprioritize photography but also trust someone so inexperienced with the IMAGE of your business online, on social media, on your website and in your outbound paid ad campaigns?
Data…Overwhelming or a Revelation?
“Only 12 percent of Germans allow the government to harvest their organs, but 99 percent of Austrians do. Who would have thought the Austrians were so much more humanitarian than the Germans? Actually, there’s no reason to assume there’s a difference between Germany and Austria in concern for their fellow citizens. Austrians have an opt-out policy for organ harvest.” Mindware by Richard E. Nisbett (Page 97)
If you take a close look at the Organic Ranking (SEO) page images, you’ll see that Sun Stoppers Keller in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX did $1,576,490 in Net Sales in 2022 with $47,073.62 in TIPS alone! Still unsure about taking tips for your business? Who would’ve thought a tint and PPF shop would get so much in tips? Do you think they use a system with tips that default opt-in or opt-out in their checkout process?
“Numbers are fact. They are reality. They don’t care about stories or excuses. They tell you exactly what’s going on: what’s working, what’s not, where to focus and what to fix.” From 6 to 7 Figures by Austin Netzley. Are you ready to know your numbers?
Do you really need Business Coaching or Consulting?
Of course not, self-discovery is often more intellectually satisfying than being told the cheat codes to win at the game of business growth. The challenge is the frustration, energy and probably my favorite reference from my Navy OCS Marine Corps Drill Instructor Gunnery Sergeant Melendez who would yell at us “Time is what?” and we’d respond “Gold SIR!” that accompanies self-discovery. Not to mention the well-known relatable historical references such as Thomas Edison’s infamous quote, “I never once failed at making a light bulb. I just found out 99 ways not to make one.” If you’re hitting a wall that seems impossible to overcome or a steep climb overwhelming your tolerance for frustration when combined with the daily challenges of your business, a second voice is typically underestimated in how unfathomably beneficial it can be. Most business owners simply need some validation towards that tipping point where minimal momentum becomes a cup half full and slight reassurance in a constantly challenging decision-making process distinguishes the line between success and failure.
“Coach Nick Saban doesn’t actually refer to it very often but every one of his assistants and players lives by it. They say it for him, tattooing it at the front of their minds and on every action they take, because just two words are responsible for their unprecedented success: The Process.” The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday (Page 87)