Overcoming challenges is part and parcel of the business world. Some challenges are minor, others can be so major that they can endanger the business itself. This sort of challenge faced one of our Christchurch members: Alex Mann, Managing Director for Big Boy Websites.
Back in 2007 Alex was woken at 3am in the morning to be told that he had been broken into and his business computers stolen. This was just days after liquidating a failing franchise of no fault of his own. At the time he was struggling to keep a fledgling side-line business going to feed his family and keep work going for his contractors because of the failing franchise.
That call at 3am was a pivotal moment. He and his wife had to make a decision whether to keep the fledgling side-line business going or toss it all in. This was obviously a huge challenge, but we all will face lesser challenges during our working lives.
How can BNI help when you face challenges?
- BNI provides an excellent sounding board when you are going through tough times. Members have possibly experienced the same thing you have and can help you with their own experience and expertise. Talk to members about the difficulties you face and see what they can offer.
- BNI can provide opportunities. If your challenge relates to attracting new business, then look at what you need to do to build referrals – more one to ones perhaps?
- BNI can help you develop your skills as a business professional. Sharing the challenges and failures you have experienced will show others that you are human, resilient, ready for change, and display a level of maturity that is beyond complementary to any business. Investments are made in people who have learned from their mistakes because working through those challenges has made them stronger. So take those failures and stories and use them to improve yourself and build that path to success.
Remember this: Stories of failure often help open up the door to success. We’ve all failed at one time or another in our lives. Facing these failures and coming back from a challenge will make you and your business stronger.
Alex decided to stay in business and now from that little advertising and design agency evolved the very successful online web design firm, Big Boy Websites.
Use your connections at BNI to help overcome your business challenges.
