in
jews
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section
Build Your Business
Wisely, Nothing
Lasts Forever
CONSISTENTLY QUESTION YOURSELF
Here are some questions to ask yourself
as you plan the next one, two, five or 10
years of your business :
• What will become a commodity in
my business within the next three years?
• How many competitors will I have in
three to 10 years?
• What other factors going on in the
industry and world at large will affect my
business, both near- and long-term?
• Am I working enough on my busi-
ness vs. in my business?
• How will technology affect my busi-
ness and industry within the next one,
three and five years?
A CAUTIONARY TALE
Here’s a story about the life we build for
ourselves, the ultimate long-term plan.
An elderly carpenter was due to retire.
He told his employer of his plans to
retire and start a life of leisure with his
family. He would miss the money, but
the time was right to hang up his ham-
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T
he strong U.S. economy has
brought prosperity to many in
the business community. As a
result, most companies and industries
have enjoyed significant
growth. But all good
things, unfortunately,
come to an end. The
same holds true in
business. Markets are
cyclical. That’s why it’s
important to adopt fun-
Jon Dwoskin
damental practices to
adjust to market fluctu-
ations. Be prepared for shifts in the mar-
ketplace by looking into the future. What
will the next six months, 18 months, two
years or even three years bring?
Although market conditions are
strong, always remain realistic because
circumstances might change in a year or
two. It’s important to make decisions that
aren’t too big or too small; take a macro
view of what your specific market will
look like in 12, 24 or 36 months. This is
also a reminder to think long-term about
your business plan and how you are
building for the ages.
STEP INTO 2019
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mer. His boss was disappointed to see
him go because the carpenter had been a
loyal and diligent worker for many years.
The boss asked for one last favor,
requesting the carpenter build one final
house before retiring. The tradesman
agreed, but it was soon clear his heart
wasn’t in it. He took shortcuts, used infe-
rior materials and put in a halfhearted
effort. In the end, the final product was
well short of his usual standards, a disap-
pointing way to end his career.
When the job was finished, the
employer came to inspect the work.
After looking around, he handed the
keys to the carpenter and said, “This
is your house. I give this as a gift to
you.” The carpenter was shocked and
embarrassed. If he’d been aware of the
consequences, he would have demanded
excellence from himself.
WHAT ARE YOU BUILDING?
Businesspeople are not that different
from the retiring carpenter: We go about
our business working as we see fit —
some with passion, some with caring,
some with excellence, some with low
standards, etc. We are all in the process
of building our own business and lives.
If you are not happy with what you see,
perhaps it’s a direct consequence of what
you’ve been building over the years.
Build wisely by always taking exec-
utive time each week, each quarter
and each year to plan and look ahead
because your business matters! ■
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24 8-266-8822
w w w.a l l u revei ncente r.com
Beverly Hills/ Birmingham
32804 Pierce Street
Beverly Hills, MI 48025
6900 Orchard Lake Road, Ste 215
Jon Dwoskin is a business coach and executive
adviser. Visit jondwoskin.com or email him at jon@
jondwoskin.com.
(Located in the Beaumont building)
jn
December 13 • 2018
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