When beginning your own business, it is natural to be intimidated. You may be unsure of how much money to invest in various components or be afraid to announce the new venture. One way to help make the transition from launch to confident entrepreneur is to take notes from the adventurous and indomitable attitude that abounds in nature.
Fake it Until You Make It
This is popular advice for anyone who is nervous about trying something new for a good reason – it works. It is also a common tactic used in the animal kingdom. There are many animals that will change their shape to attract a mate or prevent an attack. The fur of a feline can stand on end sometimes doubling the size of the animal when it becomes afraid. This is to make itself appear larger and less susceptible to the perceived threat. Other animals have similar tactics such as the cobra, the puffer fish, toads, and the great horned owl.
The lesson here is: you don’t have to be the biggest business in your field to look as though you are a force to be reckoned with. There are several ways to accomplish this. Professional business cards, website, and email address all indicate a company that has structure and purpose. Even if you are running the entire operation out of your home, you can appear to the world as professional as a competitor with downtown office space. If you want to further the illusion and keep your home and work addresses separate, you can opt for a virtual PO box address.
Weather Patterns
Take some time to learn about various weather patterns in other areas of the world. You will notice that weather patterns are constantly fluctuating within a given area and vary greatly from region to region. This is very similar to the way trends come and go within a given niche and can be completely different from one industry to the next. The wonderful thing about weather is that it changes and by paying attention it is possible to prepare for adverse conditions.
In the business world, this means following all of the industry leaders, trends, and news. This can be done on social media, following trade publications or websites, and through various networking efforts. This can help you prepare for incoming trends and know when it is time to adjust your strategies and business plan.
Save for Winter
Unlike modern humans, animals do not have the luxury of going to a local shop and ordering food in the middle of winter. Instead, they use a variety of ways to prepare themselves for times of shortage. Small animals like squirrels hide acorns and other nuts to sustain them through months of snow. Bears stuff themselves for months and use that fuel to help them wait out the long months until the abundance of spring arrives.
Businesses all go through seasons. During the spring and summer sales are great and cash is abundant. Fall may bring forth a slower time of reflection and revision and winter consists of the weeks or months when sales are slower than expected or even nonexistent. It is important to put funds aside during the bountiful months so that when the winter arrives you are able to survive without panic and unmanageable stress.
Take time to observe the natural world and find inspiration from species that have taken millennium learning how to go with the flow. Once you begin to notice the similarities between the business world and that of nature, it becomes less intimidating and easier to confront and solve issues as they arise.
