Positioning our business in the bigger landscape and defining our marketing strategies is obviously important at the start, but it’s by no means a once-off activity. We have to do follow ups, because our business takes shape over time and may morph in unexpected ways, and also the bigger picture around our business undergoes change.

To belong to a business network like our BNI Chapter, one that represents a diversity of business, is a real help in staying in touch with what is going on around us. We share various market experiences and snippets of information and we give each other clues and feedback.

The dynamic between business and potential clients is an ongoing challenge.

When our business finance goes through a desperate stage, we usually try all kinds of things to attract new customers. And at such times, especially we may spread ourselves too thin, trying too many different things all at the same time; spending money on advertising without thinking it through. In this way we scatter our energy. Then we are frustrated because we feel we are very busy but it doesn’t yield results. All together this is a lot of wasted action.

Efficiency comes from focus.  When we zoom in on a particular project, we concentrate our energy on a clear target. Then, by cutting out distractions and diversions, things get done. Yes, we must zoom in and focus to achieve.

At times of research and development, scanning the horizons, hovering our camera over the landscape surrounding our business, serves a purposes. That we make some moves of trial and error is also inevitable. But when we carry on for too long in this mode, it is like getting lost. We must try to spot and read the signposts toward our destination while we scan and search.  Then the camera must zoom in and bring the picture of where we’re wanting to arrive closer.

A desirable destination helps us gain focused concentration and planning: if that is where my business is heading, what is my best course of action?

The switch from scanning, roving and exploring – which has an air of freedom to it – to zooming in and focusing, is a change of mode. Not unlike the making of a commitment after checking out a unique relationship.

Fear of commitment has ruined the potential of many a promising relationship. How many people have experienced this, with some regrets?

Fear of commitment does not only emerge in close relationships with people. It looms in our relationship with our business too.

I wonder once in a while if the kind of ‘laid-back’ mindset – the ‘Zzz’ of the Dagwood cartoons also named ‘passive’, ‘lax’, ‘lackadaisical’ or ‘plain ‘lazy’, which afflicts quite a few institutions and the entrepreneurship in the Eastern Cape – doesn’t go hand-in-hand with this holding back on commitment. We really operate in a province that can do with upping the dosage for increasing enthusiasm, loyalty and disciplined work and showing up with better results.

Many beautiful, attractive and promising business initiatives have been launched. But after the ribbon was cut, the handshakes were photographed and the champagne was finished, they were found fast asleep at the desk.

Not so much a case of ‘zooming in’, but rather of ‘zoning out’!

In our relationship with our business we must be in love with it – madly enough to want it to succeed. Adamant to not just take a few idle, easy or freewheeling opening moves, but seeing it through a dedicated course of action. Laying out before us the complete alphabet. Not just starting with a flourish at A, having a rest at C, throwing in a few F’s, slowing down at K and falling off the map at M – but seeing it through to Z.

And then, of course, having reached the goalposts, we shift them and go through the whole story again!

Take heart! Zoom in. When we are committed, providence moves too.