My dog, Jazzmine, died recently. She lived with me for 16 years, practically since I've been on my own. The decision to end her life was one of the most difficult I've encountered. In the days leading up to the end (which were mercifully few), I relived so much of the past 16 years. Jazz taught me so much, about both business and life. As a business advisor, I thought I would share a few business tips I gathered from watching my beloved dog throughout her life.
1) Do things to stand out from the pack.
One of Jazz's favorite attention grabbers was plundering my guests' suitcases, pulling out underwear or some other embarrassing unmentionable, and parading all through the house with it in her mouth. People always noticed her; they couldn't help it. While we may not be able to get away with such behavior in business, we can be creative and devise unique ways to stand out from the crowd through marketing, branding, promotional items or simply by our approach to potential business.
2) Tackle problems with ingenious solutions.
Early in my 20's, I made a multi-course meal and invited guests over. Because I had slaved over the meal, I decided to leave it on the table for a while afterwards while I visited with my guests. I heard clinking in the dining room and raced in to find Jazzmine on the table grazing from all the food that was left. She smelled it, jumped up on a chair and reached the table by being extremely smart (and terrible!). If you're struggling with a business issue, step back and look at it from a different perspective or with fresh eyes. You might see a solution lurking there somewhere, all because you forced yourself to see things differently.
3) Know when to rest.
Before I met my husband, Jazz slept with me, and she always knew her bedtime. I would often find her curled up in the bed with her head on a pillow just like a person, snoring contentedly. It was really quite cute. Personally, I cannot function without enough rest. My clients deserve my best attention and efforts, and taking the time to rest makes me more productive. (Note: This works for people in general, not just me.)
4) Be sensitive to others' needs.
I cannot count the stupid decisions I've made that resulted in me crying all alone. Jazz always knew how to comfort me without saying a word. People who notice little things and offer support and encouragement are appreciated in the rat race of the business world. Always take the time to evaluate the person standing in front of you, be empathetic whenever possible and offer kind words when it seems appropriate.
5) Beg gracefully.
Jazzmine could stand on her hind legs and turn around and around in circles for a treat, and she would not take "No" for an answer. Learn how to turn those rejections into "Yes!" for more business success by evaluating your sales pitch and getting objective feedback. Some small tweaks could make a big business difference -- and result in a great reward!
Jazzmine was my oldest friend, and I will always miss her. In her memory, I plan to keep these thoughts with me as business -- and life -- lessons, and I hope you do, as well.
Andra L. Watkins, CPA, practiced public accounting for 10 years, culminating her practice as a tax manager for a regional CPA firm. She left public accounting to take the helm of a multi-million dollar professional practice firm in the Charleston, S.C., area. After four years in management, she struck out on her own, opening POSITUS consulting, believing steadfastly that she could help business owners navigate the maze of decisions they're ! bombarded with every day. Visit http://www.positusonline.com for more information.
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