Lessons for small business success, from my twin toddler daughters: Part 2

This is part two in a two-part series. Part one is featured on Biz Chicks Rule today.

My twin two-year old daughters reminded me, without words, about business and success. When you are starting a business, you need to think of it as raising a child. You start by crawling, then walking, then running.

So take heart in the following tips – they may come from very cute, very small people but they have the power to help you achieve success.

1. Mirror and Mimic – We forget this, but little ones learn by following what we do. We should be doing this in our businesses too. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Someone has already spent the time, effort and money doing it. Copy them, but use your own personality in everything you do.
2. If it’s working, keep doing it… until it doesn’t work anymore! PB&J sandwiches go down easily but chicken cordon bleu ends up on the floor. (I even told them it was a big chicken nugget… no dice!) So, why force the chicken? Granted, it’s easier to tell what food works with kids more than your business (especially if you are not tracking your marketing efforts). Business owners tend to get bored with their marketing efforts more quickly than customers do.
3. When starting something new – where is your “luvy”? My girls both cling on to a special stuffed animal when they need a little extra comfort. All business owners need support to get through the tough times – because it WILL happen. Find your luvy and always know where it is.
4. Keep practicing new skills. The only way my girls learned to talk – or do anything for that matter – was practice, practice, practice. You need to do the same with skills you are learning.
5. Busy for busy sake isn’t fun… and you can’t learn anything from it. At those busiest of times, the best thing you can do is “stop, drop and watch the bugs go by”. By taking a break – and watching the world for a few minutes, you’ll clear your mind and learn new things.