WHAT HABIT HAS CONTRIBUTED MOST TO YOUR SUCCESS?
Edmonton entrepreneurs discuss their best business habits
“The one habit that makes the most impact is staying true to your word. You are your integrity. There are only two choices when you say you’re going to do something: do it or don’t do it. Trying gives you an out. Don’t say it if you’re not going to do it.” Bea Bohm-Meyer, founder of BMG, bohm-meyergroup.com
“As a one-person shop, it can be hard to stay focused sometimes. Building up a support network of people I regularly report my activities and results to, like my accountability partners, helps keep me focused, honest and productive. They report their activities to me so I can do the same for them in return.” Lauren Sergy, owner of Up Front Communication, laurensergy.com
“Implementing daily morning check-in meetings has made tremendous difference in the way our team works and how fast things get done. Every morning we have a very short meeting where each team member answers the following three questions: What did you do yesterday? What will you do today? Are there any roadblocks in your way? This keeps the team accountable and helps discover and deal with challenges fast.” Kat Halushka, director of operations at TrendLab Marketing Inc., trendlab.ca
“Communication. Our firm has experienced significant growth over the past five years and we prioritize our files based on filing deadline. It is not always possible to complete projects on a first-come-first-served basis. As our scheduling changes, we are in the habit of keeping clients updated on the status of their file to ensure that all projects get completed on time and according to the client’s expectations.” Debbie Engel, owner of Debbie L. Engel Professional Corporation, depc.ca
“I’ve become really diligent about keeping good notes about my clients. I’ve learned that when I write out my notes from my meetings, my retention of that information is much greater. When I see my clients again the next time, I’ll remember small details of something they’ve shared with me. Those tiny details mean a lot to people.” Desmond Chow, senior financial advisor at ATB Securities Inc., is.atb.com/poitraschow “Waking up early before the world begins is my best habit that has contributed to our company’s success. Having two to three hours prior to the phone ringing off the hook gives you time to plant your feet and prepare yourself for the day. Just like in hockey, nobody likes stepping onto the ice as the big bully (business issues/concerns/ problems) comes and blindsides you right out the gate. Plant those feet and get ready to hit back!” Adam Richardson, president of Tempest Fire Protection, tempestfire.com
“That’s an easy one. I start each work day with an hour of revenue-generating activities. In other words, I work on my business first to ensure constant cash flow. Email, text, phone messages, etc. are all someone else’s agenda and can wait until I focus on my business first.” Pat Mussieux, CEO/founder of Pat Mussieux, patmussieux.com
“My habit of spacing out shoots to every other day when needed keeps me successful. If I do a day full of shooting, I try not to book another client the next day in order to give myself time to keep up on the editing side. Or, I book clients first thing in the morning or late afternoon so I can break up my day in two halves: half shooting and half editing and uploading. This way, my clients get their photos in lightning speed and payment is prompt. My company is like a well oiled machine and everything is done as efficiently as possible.” Crystal Puim, principal at Crystal Puim Photography, crystalphotos.ca
The above answers are in response to a question posed by Ken Kaminski-Raab, owner of Like Grandpa Ltd. (twitter.com/ LikeGrandpa). Here’s his take: “Carving out time to spend on important work can be difficult when urgent matters pop up throughout the day. I have found that setting my highest priority goal the night before, and getting up early and working on it before the day gets started is the only way to guarantee it receives attention. This works great for the business goals, but also any personal goals like staying active, eating well or even just taking a minute or two to slow down and relax.” Like Grandpa shave products is one of the newest businesses crowdfunding right now at albertaboostr.ca