11/17/15

I wear many hats. If you don’t care for a hat I choose to wear one day, check back and maybe I’ll be wearing a hat that is more to your liking by then, or … maybe not. Through this blog, you’ll find millinery for business, family, friends, home and fun.

As a lifetime resident of this planet, I have learned a few things about running a business, making a home and licking a 9-volt battery on a dare. Perhaps you’ll find out more about all that later. I’m a woman of faith, so you’ll read of hope. I’m a sinner, so you’ll read of overcoming some poor choices. I’m long on sarcasm and short on excuses. I am loved, forgiven and thankful!

Today, my mind is wandering towards professionalism and putting forth our best effort. As business owners, Steve and I have seen the best and the worst that the workforce has to offer. We’ve made excellent hiring decisions and we’ve made pitiful hiring decisions. We’ve had employees who were the kind of folks that gave more than they got. We’ve had employees who stole from us and (at least) one who did drugs in our store’s restroom. The police arrested that one in our office. Fun times!

Whew!

One of the things I learned along the way was to hire folks who were smarter and more skilled than me, when possible. The norm is for employers to hire beneath themselves. For example, an employer who is a 7 (on a scale form 1-10), might hire employees who are a 5 or a 6. If that employer would hire an 8 or a 9, their business would improve. I tried to hire above myself because I discovered that I did not possess all the skills and talent necessary to run a business.

As a starry-eyed entrepreneur, I thought: I’m great at sales and managing a team, so I should obviously open my own store! Never mind that skills of accounting, marketing, compliance, maintenance, hiring and scheduling are also required.

I’ve conducted interviews that were so amazing that I was a better person afterwards, then there was the one guy that went into a catatonic state because he was so scared. A couple of cocky folks seemed to live up to the reputation of slick, dishonest salesmen who all but told me that I was a fool for not hiring them on the spot. Ha!

All this is part of being in business for yourself. I’ve got years’ worth of anecdotes, but I’ll save those for later.

Today, I hope you’ll consider what it means to be your best and to do your best. In an effort to self-improve, I’ve paid to hear some great motivational speakers; none more impactful than Zig Ziglar. I want to be him when I grow up! He said “When you do more than you’re paid for, eventually you’ll be paid for more than you do.”

You’re smart folks. Let that sink in.

Have a groovy week!