Wim GE De Vos

Small businesses with a BIG impact

Music as a powerful drug – a tiny Jedi habit

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Habits are far more powerful than goals. (More on this in a later blog or read up here.)

“First we make our habits, then our habits make us.”
— Charles C. Nobel

My tiny power 💪🏻habit is that I always have a few songs ready to set and control my mood and motivational level.

Depending on the situation, my mood or energy level I put on specific songs to “trigger” the right mindset and attitude.

Music 🎧 is a powerful drug. And legal too. Flip into the right “program” within seconds. A few notes and boom 💥 – all ready to go.

Creating a habit of having the right mindset 🧠

 

Strategy and execution

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2 different ways to look at strategy & execution:

On one hand as a journey using a map 🗺 with precise indications 🔤

In this approach the all-knowing CEO 👨🏾‍🍳 figures out precisely where to go, how to get there and gives clear instruction to his employees what to do every step along the path.

It implies a static view of reality, an infallible “boss” and an army of robot-employees 🤖needing to avoid mistakes when following orders. Mistakes are not an option here.

On the other hand a journey using a compass ✨ combined with landmarks ⛩

Essentially a team-approach 🤝 where the vision on where to go is shared but not the details. Milestones ⛩ are agreed upon and function as landmarks. Each owns a responsibility to figure out and decide how exactly to reach them. Mistakes are part of the learning curve.

This view implies an ever changing world, full of opportunities. It comes with the need for critical, self-starting individuals that aim high 🏹, and therefore sometimes miss.

Which one is the “right” one?

Essentially this is up to how you view yourself and you view the world.

For me it is pretty easy. I very much enjoy working with a bunch of high-energy, strong-minded, smart people.

What about you 👉🏼?

Business schools and success

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So you wonder. Do I need to go to business school to be successful with my start-up?

Warren Buffets opinion:

Business schools reward difficult and complex behaviour more than simple behaviour. While simple behaviour is more effective.

It boils down to mastering the Art of Simple.

  • Bring order to chaos.
  • Serve your clients by making things easier.
  • Offer clarity and understanding.
  • Use a compass  to navigate towards simple, not a map.

Simple will beat complex in the longer run. Always.

R&D👩🏼‍🔬 and Cash💰: a balancing ⚖️ act

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As a technology business we need to keep innovating 👩🏼‍🔬, test new products, build new solutions. Without it we stand still and die a slow/fast death.

Innovation needs money💰. Lots of it sometimes…certainly when operating at the higher end of the market.

So we are in a constant balancing act. ⚖️

A few things we have done over the years to get the balance right (and there is more):

  • be first to market with true innovations – early adopters typically provide initial ROI
  • partner up with manufacturers and offer structured feedback on beta-versions (vs always buying every new product that comes out)
  • we have created an Outlet on our PartnerZone to give super deals on (nearly) new equipment to our clients
  • work closely with our best integration partners to co-invest & co-test together
  • when building new solutions act as if it is going to a client. Often the result will be an innovation investment you can sell on later on. No cutting corners – go for perfection.

Combining innovation + positive cash flow is more of an attitude 💪🏻 and culture 🤝 than a plan. But it is absolutely essential to be successful as a small company.

PS: quick reminder of why cash is king (beyond what you already knew…)

Are your goals 🎯 finite ⏐ or infinite ∞?

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Careful when setting your goals 🎯.

It will determine not only if you achieve them but also what happens when you do…

Finite goals ⎸

have a map or plan 🗺 and you can measure ⓵⓶⓷ progress. But they often lead you into depression 👎🏼 right after… The abyss. What now?

Infinite goals ∞

require a compass ⦬ and you can only feel ☺️ progress. They never end ∞ and lead to fulfillment 🙌🏽 every step along the way. 🛣

Check the video 🎬 out 🔝 to hear what Simon Sinek has to say about this and you may want to revisit your goals …

Be well, be you.