I’ve always been interested in the big picture and being involved in everything with a business. I hear the mantra “jack of all trades, master of none” in my head with a negative connotation. While it may be required to have a specific specialty, degree or certification to be hired for most jobs, I find it is absolutely critical in small business to have broad exposure and no fear of jumping into anything new. Most business owners have a unique skill or passion for what they do but often struggle to get the business through the inevitable transitions that appear. There is often an overwhelming amount of decisions to make and directions you can go. Building the proper strategy, allowing you to stay on track and focus while dealing with challenges and opportunities that arise, can make or break your business.

There are a number of free, low-cost and premium products and services targeted at small business. They are all competing for the same cash flow and promising some return on investment. However, I find that most are not exactly the right fit or require more work to get them running than is promised in the sales literature. Therefore, more than the cash required is the energy and time to truly evaluate how they may help the business. Newer business owners often jump into a lot of things and get burned a few times before becoming callused to trying anything new. As businesses grow and change, it is important to find ways to become more efficient.

How often to you know it is time to update your website or jump into social media but you don’t know how to get started? At the same time, billing and servicing existing business is taking up a lot of time. Perhaps it is time to add employees or other paid help. Many of us are also really good at making money for others but fall down when trying to make it for ourselves, so sales and networking is painful. Maybe you have purchased some software or hardware and it is still sitting shrink wrapped on the shelf. With limited time in the day, how do you prioritize what to do first? Do you just wait for one to get so painful that it forces you do to something different?

No doubt I’m dating myself, but I’ve always pictured myself as a MacGyver type. Just give me a Swiss Army knife and some duct tape, and then I’ll parachute into any situation and make it better than I found it. Building a vision and going out and executing on it while keeping an eye on the end goal is a powerful thing to add to any business. Adding someone to your team that thinks like a business owner, not an employee, allows you to get an outside perspective and move through whatever stands between where you are versus where you want to be with your business.

Focusing on big picture of your business, even for a few hours a week can pay huge dividends. With a degree in electrical engineering and experience in engineering, project management, marketing, sales, finance, networking, small business and management, plus a huge network of trusted specialists, I can help guide you towards solutions. No question is too big or too small.

Whether you are looking for technology solutions to streamline operations, sales and marketing, or some help refining your vision and outbound messaging, the Entrepreneurs’ Collaborative Network is here to help. Call or email, and I’ll bring the Swiss Army knife and the duct tape.

Dan