11/09/2026
Being a successful small business owner is about serving, not taking what you can get at the expense of others.
You can sometimes spot it right away-
- No parking spots available near the front for customers or staff but the owners car right by the door.
- Complaints on social media about customers not following policies.
- Rants about bad reviews received and how they were in the right.
Yes, we get it, the customer is not always right, but you can be right, or you can be successful. Often you give up one to be the other.
***Serve your employees: give them clear expectations and communication, fair pay, and a reason to stay as a baseline minimum.
Extras like serving them a weekly breakfast and investing in additional training, learning about their goals and helping them with them, opportunities to advance, these go far to increase retention. It improves how they treat each other and the customer.
How would you want them treated if they were your children working for someone else?
***Serve your customers. Look at your business from an outside view, from their view and see what’s working and what’s preventing people from spending money with you.
How does everyone respond (including you) when things go wrong? If you were on Undercover Boss would you be surprised how customers and employees feel about your company? How can you find that out now?
***And ultimately, serve your family: that's who you're building this for. A business that costs you your marriage or your kids' childhood isn't a success.
Get the first two right, and the third takes care of itself.
Who are you serving this week? How can I help?
