GROWTH IS NOT OPTIONAL

Visiting a specialty retail store in Florence, Italy today, I started chatting with the shop owner and asking her about her business. I was curious to know how she came to open a store here (being she is from New York and previously had a shop in Seattle), how the internet has changed the business, and what the future holds.

We talked at length about growing pains, vision, and intention, and she invited me back to her villa to meet her husband/business partner and to dine with them.

During our conversation, I realized they had not planned to grow beyond the business they are doing now and I cautioned them against being happy with a plateau. While the revenue being realized now may be adequate, the reality is costs will increase over time and ultimately consume the meager margins they enjoy now.

For a business to survive, growth is not optional. A business owner must plan for one of only two available strategies: continuous growth or closing.

So it is with your sales career. You cannot remain at the same level forever. Eventually, your costs will rise too.

Make plans now for how you will grow your sales this year, next year, and at least 5 years in the future, if not more. Your intention to grow will help you find the means to make that growth happen.