Contrary to popular belief, emus and ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand. This myth stems from an optical illusion: emus tend to their eggs in nests built into the sand, and ostriches forage in sandy environments, creating the appearance of head-burying. Unfortunately, this myth often holds true for business owners who, rather than embrace challenges, avoid addressing their problems.
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, “head-in-the-sand” describes someone unwilling to recognise or acknowledge a problem. When business issues arise, it’s tempting to hope they resolve themselves. However, ignoring problems can lead to escalating financial and operational impacts, increased stress, and sleepless nights. The key is to embrace challenges, but how?
Seeking Help: The First Step
When faced with business challenges, the obvious solution is to seek help. But where should you turn? Many business owners initially confide in family or friends. While this can provide moral support, unless these individuals have real-world business experience, their advice may be limited.
The next step is often consulting an accountant. Depending on the severity of the situation, the accountant might recommend seeking advice from an insolvency specialist. However, there are other options available.
Our Unique Approach
We are fortunate to have clients referred to us by family, friends, accountants, and even bank managers. What sets us apart is our unique process for identifying issues and developing strategies to address them. This is part of the ACTION phase in our innovative Exhilarating Business™ framework. Often, what a business owner perceives as the cause of their problems is merely a symptom. The true underlying causes are usually interconnected with various business issues. Identifying these causes is a critical and time-sensitive process.
The NOW WHERE HOW Approach
Using a structured process, we quickly establish a true understanding of the current situation (the NOW). Unlike other advisors who jump straight into fixing issues (the HOW), we focus on determining the business’s direction (the WHERE). By establishing a clear focus on WHERE the business is heading, we lay the foundation for sustained success. This approach prevents the cycle of jumping from crisis to crisis and allows for strategic decision-making.
“If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favourable.”
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
The WHERE can be very different to what a business owner was thinking.
The WHERE dictates decisions, strategies and the HOW.
Real-World Example
Consider a business struggling with cash flow. The initial thought might be to secure an overdraft or finance. However, the true cause could range from declining sales to increasing costs or staff turnover. By understanding the real cause, we help business owners gain clarity on their direction (the WHERE).
For instance, a business owner might realize their goal is to build a niche or boutique business. This insight drives strategic decisions about premises, staffing, and products.
Without a clear WHERE, decisions lack purpose and impact the business achieving sustained success.
Building Skills and Capabilities
Often, business owners discover they lack certain skills or capabilities, which contributed to their challenges. Our online business capability platform and resource centre is full of tools and learning modules to enable better decision-making, improving capability and fostering momentum for success.
Discover How We Can Help
Interested in learning more about achieving sustained success? Contact us to learn more about our Exhilarating Business™ framework, and how we can ensure you achieve sustained success.
You can book a free, no obligation Discovery Meeting by contacting us here—> Contact Us