Page 16 - GTA Lifestyle Oakville October 2022

GROW YOUR BUSINESS
5 Surefire Strategies to
Build Long-term Success
By Fina Scroppo and Michael Smith
Michael Smith, president, and Fina Scroppo, partner, are with Integram, a solutions-based training and coaching firm committed to building your business and inspiring bold sustainable growth. We offer free 1-hour consultations. www.integram.net
Page 16 SOUTH OAKVILLE Lifestyle October 2022
Too often, business owners make the limiting decision to focus primarily on the present and not enough on the future. But growing a successful business is a lot like training to be a professional athlete. If you don’t have a plan on where you want to go and how you’re going to get there, you simply can’t be at the top of your game.
Here are some simple and effective strategies to set up your business for bold sustainable growth.
Know Your Why
Purpose is a powerful propellant. It guides our mission, fuels our efforts and helps us stay focused. Every successful business leads with their why.
“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it,” says Simon Sinek, leadership guru, author and inspirational speaker. Let’s take the example of Tesla. e company’s mission to “accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy” is all about why they are in business. What they do and how they get there – that is, to build compelling electric cars to market as soon as possible – follows their purpose.
Taking the time to understand your why ensures you and the people who work for you know, at the core, why you do what you do and are then able to communicate it to customers.
Create a Vision
Four years ago, one of our clients wanted to change the way his business was impacting the environment. As an architect (and partner to the home construction sector), he knew it’s a big contributor of landfill waste, air pollution and energy consumption. So, he began to put a plan in action to become a sustainable architect, focusing his designs on buildings that have durability, longevity and resilience. Today, he has drastically reduced his carbon footprint, his business is growing and he’s never been happier about his contributions to his community.
e lesson here: Create a vision for the future you want. Don’t be afraid to think big.
Write it Down
A vision can’t move forward without a written plan. When you write things down, you’re more committed and driven to reach goals. Planning for a sustainable future also requires a plan with longevity. Likewise, aligning your employees with a clear vision from the beginning gives them purpose and place in the continual growth of the business. It also strengthens the culture of the organization, which in turn drives productivity. When you write a plan and the team is behind you, you can create your future.