This being vacation week for many of us, my grandson Patrick, 11, is spelling me by writing a little blog on secrets for success in business in 2013. He already wrote a 30-page business plan for his own future enterprise and also authored and illustrated a children’s book series. Now he’s adding “business blogger” to his résumé.
But behind all of that setup, Patrick really is bartering work for miniatures. He wanted a dollhouse for Christmas to establish a homeless shelter for Playmobile City, of which he is the mayor. Too many of his soldiers and knights are returning home (after hard-fought battles are won or lost) wounded, drug addicted, and/or jobless, so he needs a place to shelter them after they get out of the Playmobile Clinic, before they enroll in Playmobile School to learn another trade. Otherwise, they’ll turn to crime to exist and likely wind up in Playmobile Jail; that’s not how he wants his city to operate.
Patrick’s mom found a bargain-priced, massive, five-foot-long, handmade dollhouse on eBay that is a miniature replica of a famous home, perfect for his needs. As for furnishings, I’ll pony up glue, woodchips, and pipe cleaners to make some of it, and I’ll help him paint, wallpaper, and lay floors, but he’s working at IB this morning to earn a little coin for things we can’t make, like electric lights. So here’s his offering to you, with both of our best wishes!
Five Keys to a Successful Business
By Patrick Cassidy
Well, 2013 is coming on, and we survived another doomsday. As the new year arrives, let’s stop and think about how we can make our businesses better. But first ask yourself, “Am I running a successful business?” Or we can ponder about how to start one. That’s what we’re going to find out. So, without further ado, here are the 5 secrets to running a successful business.
- You must be sure to hire the right staff. They must be people you can rely on, who won’t disappoint you. Don’t hire a slacker.
- The product you sell has to be something people want or need. It must be harmless and sellable. You don’t want your item recalled.
- If you want people to buy your product, you need to advertise. Your ad has to be convincing, making people want to buy it, but your ad has to be honest. Do not falsely advertise. I cannot stress that enough.
- The workplace must be friendly. Discipline your staff, but only when they deserve it. Do not be hard on your workers because you must remember that they are willing to work for you and abusing them will cause them to quit.
- The product must be priced right. Do not sell a box of light bulbs for $5,000 (unless it’s worth it), and don’t sell the original Mona Lisa for one dollar. In other words, sell your item for what it’s worth. Think about what people can afford, and don’t be greedy.
Well, that’s it. Those are the 5 tips on running a successful business. I hope this helped you. My fingers are getting tired, so I think we’ll stop here. Happy New Year!
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