How “Git R Done” Can Make You A Better Business Owner
Larry The Cable Guy
“Git-R-Done!” is the rallying cry of 48-year-old Daniel Lawrence Whitney, AKA Larry The Cable Guy. Larry’s “overnight” popularity follows 20 years of working to hit the “big time” using his unique Southern accent, Redneck, and character comedy that uses observations and satire. It’s a long way from the Pawnee City, Nebraska pig farm where Larry grew up. Larry’s made it, and when you hear the phrase “Git-R-Done!” you know his Larry’s victory cry.
What business owners need to speak
“Git R. Done!” is a great example of what we business owners need to speak when unexpected stuff happens. Stuff like customers who won’t return your calls and prospects who fall off the face of the Earth. When that critical order ends up shipped to Outer Nowhere. When equipment breakdowns grind production to a halt. When fuel costs increase. When the government says that the solution for our ailing economy is more regulation and taxes for “rich” business owners making $250,000 like you, struggling to meet payroll, who haven’t seen a paycheck for a month. Business calamities usually occur at the worst possible times. But it’s your job to fix it. And what you say or think affects the outcome of events.
Go with the flow
“I can’t afford this,” and ”It’s too hard!” are great examples of speaking failure into existence. You’ve got go with the flow, meeting and overcoming challenges. Your employees, their families and yours depend upon you. Sometimes that flow is an annoying trickle moving downhill. At others, it’s a roaring tsunami headed straight for you.
Overcome to become
How you face adversity says a lot about your character. We gain insight about character from historical trailblazers and learn what they did to get through tough times.
Winston Churchill was as an inspiring individual who faced great adversity during England’s Nazi blitz in World War II. One speech Churchill gave on October 29, 1941 is remarkable for its simplicity and power. He said:
“Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up.”
With such a man leading a battered England, was there any doubt they would triumph in the end?
Stay true to your dream
Your conviction about doing what it takes to succeed must remain just as high. No matter if you’re a single proprietor in a brick and mortar shop, an online seller, blogger or a manufacturer with several hundred on the payroll. If we gave in at the first sign of adversity, nothing would ever get done, created, made or enjoyed. Edison would have given up long before his 10,000th plus attempt to create a working incandescent light bulb. If he had, we would be living in quite a different technological society today. Think you’re too small to matter? Think again.
Get Over yourself
You’ve got to get beyond whatever offends you. Don’t be concerned about what works or doesn’t. Don’t be concerned with what others think about you. Don’t be overly concerned with sales that are slow to come. Whatever business you’re building, it’s building your character as you face the challenges that appear every day. Don’t dwell on the many attempts it takes to create your own light bulb. Dave Ramsey believes that 85% of all business ideas are crap. That leaves 15% that are not. There’s gold in that, there pile of crap. But always be prepared. If things go wrong, if your Master Plan sounds more like ego than logic, revise. Plan your work and work your plan. Just make sure that you have contingencies. With the odds of a failure of ideas so great, it’s no wonder that many small businesses have come and gone because they held onto The Main Idea that they were convinced would work, beyond logic, method, hope, resources, or a contingency plan. Be flexible, not rigid.
Things Change Quickly
The business environment can change fast leaving you standing there with your precious unwanted widget in hand. Just because you like it, doesn’t mean the world will beat a path to your door. Even if your widget is great, you’ve got to gain the world’s attention. Blog it. Tweet it. Post on FaceBooK. Use alternative advertising. Today’s world spins too fast. The internet has boosted us to light speed with a global economy. That means that there are millions of widget makers out there just like you who dream of success you must contend with.
How you treat people says a lot about you
Nothing excuses stupid behavior. Make everyone in your business part of a team. Listen to what they have to say. You may learn something. Like how to streamline your production process from Joe on the line who has an idea you’ve never thought of. Use that idea, but give Joe the recognition and bonus he deserves for bringing it to your attention. Go the Extra Mile and treat you employees like partners instead of than subjects. Extend the same hand of friendship and support as you do your best customers. Because without them, you wouldn’t have any customers or business.
Be accountable, the buck stops with you
Passing the buck is something politicians do. Never avoid responsibility or play the blame game. If you screw up, admit it. Be forgiving of others when they do. Folks employed by you and your customers look to you for leadership, so don’t be whiner. Be an American of good character. Because in this country, we’re all linked by a common bond. We don’t quit. We adapt and overcome. We’re entrepreneurs. To fail is but one step along the way to success. Adversity will come. Face it. Time to create your own rallying cry. “Git R Done!”
Tagged: adversity, American, be forgiving, blogger, brick and mortar shop, business owners, character, customers, Dave Ramsey, dream, employees, entrepreneurs, failure of ideas, Git-R-Done!, global economy, internet, Larry The Cable Guy, production, prospects, recognition, Redneck character comedy, stupid behavior, Thomas Edison, widget, Winston Churchill
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