Invest in exploration

You’re flat out but it’s vital to make time to look outside your own walls: a wealth of knowledge and inspiration flows when you do it deliberately.

Active curiosity is essential to grow your business – it keeps you alive to ideas and opportunities. A 2014 study published in Management Science recruited roofers, carpenters and inline skaters to canvas ideas around safety gear and found that each group was better at suggesting novel solutions for more comfortable safety belts, masks and knee pads for the groups outside their own field of expertise. What fresh ideas might you uncover for your business by thinking and looking outside the box?

Expos are also happy hunting grounds for inspiration. The right one can be a one-stop shop to get across a broad range of new thinking, services and products. Favour an expo that has a conference running alongside it, ideally one that has several tracks so you can further narrow your interest focus. Attend with a colleague to divide and conquer and take in different sessions. And research free conferences, expos and seminars. They’re usually sponsored by a corporate or government department and many are excellent.

Similarly, local and regional councils have programs for SMEs that offer a comprehensive range of talks, short courses and meet-ups – the majority are free. Both newbies and established businesses will get a lot out of them, especially those who need to improve digital skills, such as SEO and social-media marketing. Business chambers are another place to find ideas and inspiring speakers for a nominal fee – non-members can attend most events for a slightly higher rate.