"My business is changing rapidly right now. Some changes are big and some are small. How have you dealt with change in your companies?"

April 21 2009 - Syracuse Post Standard

Tracy:
Individuals who become entrepreneurs must be comfortable with change because nothing about an entrepreneurial career is constant or predictable. In fact for many years one measure of a company’s stability was the company’s rate of change. The less it changed, the more stable it was. That’s not true today. Changes happen every moment in our Internet focused, global economy. Today if a company isn’t changing, it most likely isn’t stable.
When change occurs, I always go back to my business plan, mission, and goals. I make sure I’m on track and comfortable with my projections. If not, I refocus and revise. I’m a planner at heart so planning makes change manageable for me.
I’ve been an entrepreneur for fourteen years and I can tell you that some of my best entrepreneurial decisions have come out of challenging times. To remain focused, and yet flexible, during periods of challenge and change creates the best opportunities for a company.

Julie:
About 10 years ago I worked at a gift basket company in another state. When I decided to relocate back to Syracuse, the owners encouraged me to start my own business. I ran my company using the systems and techniques that I had learned from my former employers. I admired them so much, that it didn’t occur to me for a long time that there might be better ways of doing things. Eventually, I stumbled on more efficient ways of doing various tasks and I began to really embrace the idea that change is a healthy and necessary part of growing a business.
A couple of times a year I take a hard look at everything we do and try to figure out how to do it better. To keep the fresh ideas flowing, I make a point of reading everything I can get my hands on, attending seminars, and talking to other business owners. Inspiration for change can come from anywhere.

Theresa:
It goes against our human nature to embrace change. However all successful businesses grow and evolve. As my business has grown, I’ve learned that communication is the key to successful change. And that communication is not only what happens between staff or with customers.
Often that means communicating changes outside the walls of our company to key consultants in order for them to best advise and support us. For example; our attorney is well versed in what our particular business needs are, however when we suddenly needed copyright advice, he referred us to someone with expertise in that facet of law.
This type of scene has played itself over in areas of finance, insurance and accounting with our consultants. I really trusted the advisors I had started my business with and didn’t want to go outside my comfort zone, however learned through the solid advice of my lawyer that is exactly where I needed to go. Deal with the changes in your company by dealing with changes needed outside your company.