Growth takes Grit
May 2019
As I sit in Detroit airport on a Sunday afternoon after being delayed out of Green Bay at 7:00 a.m. this morning for over 6 hours, missing my connection to Washington DC, Dulles Airport, and missing many of the conference activities I was planning on attending, I can’t help but think about GRIT.
As a business owner that has significantly grown my business over the past 18 months after being a solo consultant for 10 years, I realize how much GRIT it takes to incur setbacks and keep going and growing.
None of us like to share our own struggles, but for me, sharing my own struggles helps me pick up and move forward. In the last several weeks, we’ve had our office manager decide to pursue her passion of helping disadvantaged kids, and one of our new consultants pursue another opportunity more fitting of her skill set. Both situations are ones that I fully support, as I know it is passion that makes what we do worth doing, and if their current role didn’t provide that, then I want them to pursue what does. Now, the reality of that is that we are finalizing our hiring process for a new office manager and have a new consultant coming on board in the next 6 weeks. In a small office, that is significant change!
I believe that both things happened for a reason and we will be stronger from the lessons learned and the value that each of these individuals brought to our organization. Amid all of that, we have finalized a build-out of our new office space. However, as many of you know that have every built or moved, it’s not completely done, and we’ll be finalizing many items for the next month or two. But we have our own space and are excited about what new opportunities the location and space can provide.
So why am I sharing this with you? Because just when we think we have all the pieces figured out, something changes and we need to adapt, adjust, and move forward. As business owners, GRIT is the name of the game. For many of you, you started the business with just yourself or a small staff and have grown it over the years. Each new level of growth has presented new challenges and opportunities. Each has had you questioning, “Why am I doing this?” Hopefully, the answer for you is because it’s your passion and you love what you do. Because if it’s not, go find something else to do.
Our business is to help business owners strategically grow their businesses to the next level and help those business owners that have grown their businesses to successfully plan for and exit their businesses. Each of these transitions take a new level of GRIT and determination to overcome the obstacles and adapt to the new norm, only to change again.
Life is about growth, and whether we choose to embrace it, or we fight it, it doesn’t change the fact that growth will happen. Growth, however, is not for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of internal fortitude. Sometimes I wonder when the challenges/opportunities will slow, and then I realize they never will if I’m forever in the pursuit of personal and professional growth. That doesn’t mean I’m looking to make my business bigger, but rather to deliver to my clients the value that they deserve. You as a business owner do what you do to deliver value to your customers/clients. That takes continuous growth and development to be relevant. In today’s marketplace, it’s even more challenging with the tight labor market and the ability to find quality people that can be recruited, trained, and retained.
The definition of GRIT is “courage and resolve, strength of character.”
“Grit is that ‘extra something’ that separates the most successful people from the rest. It’s the passion, perseverance, and stamina that we must channel in order to stick with our dreams until they become a reality.” – Travis Bradberry
To grow is to overcome and to overcome takes GRIT. Do you have what it takes to grow your business, grow yourself, and grow your team?
Jayne McQuillan, CPA, MBA, CEPA is a strategic management consultant, and the owner of Journey Consulting, LLC, in Green Bay