I recently read a book entitled Now… Build a Great Business! 7 Ways to Maximize Your Profits in Any Market. The authors, Mark Thompson and Brian Tracy, are both forces to be reckoned with in their own right and this book is a testament to their combined wisdom, experience and knowledge.
But it was the title of the book that grabbed me and the premise that won me over. In their introduction the authors state that, “This book will show you how to attract customers, keep them coming back, and have them bring their friends.” Now, what’s not to like about that?!
Okay, so I’m biased. I mean, part of the focus of my work is to teach other business owners how to find, make and keep great customers. And this can only be done if you are, first and foremost, a great company with a great product and a great experience. And that requires great leadership and great people.
Building Great Businesses Requires Great People
Mark Thompson and Brian Tracy underscore and reinforce much of what I tell people. While there is much in common in this book and in my work the biggest distinction I see is that, while I focus on small to very-small businesses, Thompson and Tracy seem to be speaking to the leadership of larger companies.
What I came to appreciate was their emphasis on company culture, customer service, customer experience, passion, purpose, vision, mission and inspiration. For me, these are the bedrock elements of a truly great business, and exercising constant attention and intention to these are vital for the business owner/leader.
While there are many great business books out there, I offer this as a starting place for the conscientious business owner who seeks to create and build a truly great company, and whose purpose and mission go far beyond simply growing fast or making money.
Oh, and one other thing about this book – they contend that a lousy economy can be a great time to start (or re-start) a business! Now that’s worth the price of admission right there!