Explore:  How to Make Your Business Last

Business Long-Term Sustainability: 

Provide financially for your business and employees.

•          Do not overspend. Keep a tight budget and keep a good record of your finances for the future. Keeping a good record of your accounts, financial transactions, and other books while ensuring that you meet with your accountant regularly.

•          Expect the unexpected.

•          Meet the needs of the present without jeopardizing the company's ability to meet future needs. 

•          Identify the long-term goals for the company. Consider the available capital, vision, and intellectual capacity.

•          Where do you see your company in 5 years? 10? Build your company towards that. 

•          Consider the money that will be available then, your starting vision and the skills of you and your employees.

To have a sustainable business, you must:

• Adapt to the changing world.
•           This means adapting to technology needs, equipment, and environmental needs.

• Focus on customer intimacy.
•           Make sure your customers feel valued and wanted. This is key. Repeat customers make up a large amount of sales (The following video will describe how to build on this concept). It builds trust and relationships for the business.
• Ensure that you hire the best employees for the job.
•           Make sure to take time in the interview to get to know the potential employees, asking them questions about the job and themselves. It is important that each employee follows your same values and mission.
• Work as a team to ensure that all present goals are being met.
•           Working as a team will get the job done faster while ensuring that all goals are met. It will also ensure there are no delays due to lack of work.

5 Steps that lead to success:

1. Provide Great Customer Service:

•          You can tell people why your product/service and company is different, but the best way is to show them. Make your brand the best brand.  Keep customers coming back for several generations and your business will sustain.
  

•          If you keep your loyal customers happy, they will do your marketing for you thru word of mouth. 
  

•          You want to make sure every customer feels valued and cared about so they will keep returning.

2. Know Your “Why, What, and How”: Once you answer these questions you will be able to offer a different type of product that is driven by high moral values and care. These questions are essential to your business.

•         Why are you making this business? 
  

•          Why did you choose this product/service to offer? 
  

•          What changes are going to occur? 
  

•          What challenges will the changes entail? 
  

•          How will the changes affect the work environment?

3. To have a sustainable business, you must:

•          Adapt to the changing world.
  

•          This means adapting to technology needs, equipment, and environmental needs.
  

•          Focus on customer intimacy.
  

•          Make sure your customers feel valued and wanted. This is key. Repeat customers make up a large amount of sales (The following video will     describe how to build on this concept). It builds trust and relationships for the business.
  

•          Ensure that you hire the best employees for the job.
  

•          Make sure to take time in the interview to get to know the potential employees, asking them questions about the job and themselves. It is important that each employee follows your same values and mission.
  

•         Work as a team to ensure that all present goals are being met.
  

•         Working as a team will get the job done faster while ensuring that all goals are met. It will also ensure there are no delays due to lack of work.
  

4.  Have a Marketing Plan: A marketing plan is a lifesaver. It will direct you to conduct the right marketing activities and it will hold you accountable.

•  Make sure the customer can tell the difference between your product and the competitors. When creating your brand, make sure that your values drive your company. They are important to you and need to be the driver for your company.

•  It is important but sometimes you have to take risks and go out on a limb. Sometimes decisions need to be made based on morals and what is good for business/employees. Always consider the people, the profit and the planet.

•  Make sure your employees and customers know that they can trust you. Let the public know your business model, values, and mission. Do not make customers feel as if their money is going somewhere suspicious and do not make employees feel as if they work for a business that is full of secrets.

•  Know why you are in this business. Let that drive you every day to success and keep you in business for years. This will also allow customers to feel like family.