Marketing mastermind Seth Godin noted in his blog that business cycles are far shorter these days. “More now than ever,” he wrote, “success today is no guarantee of success tomorrow.”
Few would argue that point. Yet, he points out that too often we spend more time than we should defending the old thing, instead of working to take advantage of the new thing.
The fact is people resist change when we perceive it as a threat. The true entrepreneurs, on the other hand, look at change as a big, fat opportunity. They have a positive outlook and create a productive spin.
For instance, I read about an owner of a high-end restaurant in Edmonton who insisted the downturn in the economy would create new opportunities for him. His reasoning? Well, instead of going out for four or five average meals monthly, people will go for one really nice outing each month.
Could this be true? Perhaps — or it might be far from the truth. But the key is true entrepreneurs see opportunities in everything, even during the most trying moments.
And today’s entrepreneurs need to be especially quick on the draw. As Godin pointed out, business transitions are virtually an annual event. To that point, he concluded: “The best marketing strategy is to destroy your industry before your competition does.”
Harsh, but true.
