Two Years Without A Paycheck!

Two years without a paycheck? Why?? I hear this way too frequently. For what possible reason would a small business owner endure such self-deprivation and drag his family through such turmoil day after day? Why would a small business owner do this?

First of all, it tells us the business owner has not downsized adequately, he is not marketing adequately and he has not reinvented his business so that it may succeed in tough times. Just as clear, the business is not progressing out of its downturn nor can it without some major changes. So what does it require for a small business owner in such a situation to make the necessary changes or understand that he should shut the business down, liquidate it and move on?

It is not an honorable commitment to keep a failing business that cannot support itself alive and breathing. It is far more honorable to make the necessary adjustments to a business so that it may succeed than to merely hang on, making the same failing efforts over and over.

I believe the commitment to not quitting is misguided. Continuing to run into a wall over and over is not the honorable thing to do; a commitment to failure is not trumped by a commitment to not give up. A better way would be to commit to success and making the changes required to succeed rather than merely running into the wall repeatedly, expecting success to emerge on its own.

Enough with the self-sacrifice for no good reason. Commitment to succeed with a plan to emerge is a much more productive, meaningful path to take.