Hustle Hard To Succeed!
09/06/2016 – Ever wonder how two people can run the same type of business, in the same town and serve the same clientele yet one is barely getting by while the other is making a killing? They offer the same products and services. They have the same opportunity. Yet, one is struggling and the other is enjoying success.
It all comes down to one thing. There is one strategy that makes all the difference. Let me explain. This past weekend I was in Jekyll Island, Georgia for a speaking event. Despite the hurricane warnings, the threat of power outages, and severe rain, my client was insistent on not canceling the event. Our hotel, the Jekyll Island Club, remained open on Thursday. But most businesses on the island closed up and let their employees go home to ride out the storm.
Luckily, Jekyll Island missed most of the storm. There was a little flooding and a lot of wind damage. By Friday afternoon the sun was out, the winds died down, and the storm had passed. It was so beautiful you would not have ever realized there had been a storm.
By noon I was done with my keynote and ready to head out to enjoy the island. The only problem was nothing was open. The storm may have passed but most residents were still at home and most businesses were still boarded up. We were ready to play golf, ride bikes, and have lunch by the ocean. Unfortunately, there was nowhere to go.
Now this was surprising as it was Labor Day Weekend. And Jekyll Island is both a resort town and a beach community. The hotels were packed with tourists. According to our concierge, there were no vacancies anywhere on the island. With no options, we borrowed bikes from a couple of the hotel staff and rode around the island, grabbed some lunch at the hotel bar, and spent the bulk of the afternoon lounging by the pool.
Around 4:30 p.m., this young guy showed up at the pool handing out flyers and announcing that the Wee Pub, a restaurant down the road, was now open. They had enticed a few staff to come in, taken the boards off their windows, were ready and open for business. The flyers he was carrying announced that they were having a post-hurricane party and the event started at 6 p.m.
Tired of eating and hanging out at the hotel, we decided (and so did pretty much everyone else at the hotel) to head over to the pub that evening. On the drive, we noticed that none of the other restaurants or businesses showed signs of life. Despite this gorgeous weather, no one else seemed to be open.
The pub and the party were a blast! The owner got up and made a speech about how much they value tourists who come no matter the weather. He told some great old stories about past storms and shared a little history of the island. The place was packed, so much so that we were sharing tables and eating with people we did not know. Before we left the owner announced that there would be a special “storm discount” to any of his “favorite customers” (all of us) who would come back and have another meal before we left the island.
Driving back to the hotel, I thought about the pub, how fun the evening had been, and how smart that business owner was. As a business growth expert, I am always analyzing business. I look at what it takes to make it and why some businesses do and why some don’t. I want to know how they react to opportunity and how they deal with challenges. Like living in a resort town and having a storm impact one of your biggest weekends of the year.
From what I can see, it really comes down to one thing. There is one difference between those that succeed versus those that struggle. That difference is hustle; doing whatever it takes to make money and grow a business. Whatever it takes. So what does hustle look like, and how do you know if you are a professional who hustles?
3 Strategies To Ensure You Hustle
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Move Fast
In today’s fast-paced and constantly shifting economy you need to move fast. If you don’t, you will miss opportunities and you will be negatively impacted by challenges. Our pub owner understood this and he moved fast. Sure, he had to close up for the storm. But as soon as the weather cleared he was on it. He rounded up some staff, got his restaurant open, and was ready for business before most of his competitors even knew what happened.
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Make Noise
If you want to hustle you cannot wait for the business to come to you. You have to go out there and get it. In other words, you need to make some noise. That young man who came out to the hotel, walked around the pool and invited us to the pub was out going after the business. He knew we had resigned ourselves to the fact that most businesses were closed and the hotel was our only option. By printing the flyers, creating the event and coming to out to invite us, the pub owner was able to drum up some business and find his clientele. That was business he would have never gotten if he had not made some noise.
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Capitalize
Last but not least, to hustle means you never miss an opportunity. Our pub owner struck while the iron was hot. We were so happy to be out of the hotel, having a blast at his event and he knew it. He took that opportunity to capitalize. He was ready to invite us to the next event before we were even done enjoying this one.
Running a business these days is a challenge, but it does not mean that you can’t be successful and you can’t enjoy the experience. But to succeed today you need to hustle. You need to move fast, go out and get the business, and capitalize on every opportunity that comes your way. The only thing differentiating you from your competition is your ability to hustle!
Good post!
Thanks Bonnie! Looking forward to connecting soon.. coming your way in October (know you said September may be crazy!)