That's exactly right Ken.

When I was working with a non-profit agency helping noobs get their businesses off the ground I assisted more "average" businesses get off the ground and eventually close than I could count.

Most of them were of the "Do what you love" mindset. That in and of itself wasn't fatal to their business. But it usually led to bad decision making, which did eventually kill their business. Instead of opening a premium pizza shop they wanted to make the simple pepperoni and cheese pizza's their grandmother made... Sigh.

I saw this time and time again.

And usually by the time reality punched them square in the nose and they realized that doing what you love only gets you so far... especially when you aren't making a decent living-- it was too late.

In order to maximize your income potential as a do what you lover you had better find a niche and resist the urge to be a "jack of all trades".

Sounds like a lot of people in here have read the E-myth (forget who the author is)

The book talks about "systematizing" everything in your business so it runs on autopilot. The author mentions Ray Kroc of McDonald's fame as the perfect example. It's actually an excellent book and every entrepreneur should read it.

Nail on the head Rachel.

You're 100% right.

In my prior business my family and I committed every business sin referenced within the E-Myth.

I swore future businesses I was involved in would not be operated that way. And while I haven't followed all of Michael Gerber's principals to a "T", I have a much more E-myth friendly business.

...And the bottom line reflects that.

yeah....I have that book, the e-myth. Michael Gerber wrote it.

I need to get to the level where someone sets up a turn key system for me cuz this is precisely where I am too right brained and undisciplined to create one for myself.

(I am good at adhering to systems that make sense to me but God forbid I sit down and engineer one on my own!)

Hello,
I am just not letting this thread die. Ok the one problem with systems. Stems from many people making system to increase busyness not business. I think every business has cycles, where some parts of the year are much busier than others. Then there are times things will be dead.

Instead of realizing this . During the dead times people will invent busywork for their employees Or themselves. Then they will cut prices and put on sales. Maybe thats fine. The problem is when the busy time roles around . They will not raise prices again . Nor will they put the busyness aside and get to business.

In the corporate grind most people are only doing 1-3 hours of productive work. The other 5-7 hour is busy work . Thats in an 8 hour day . In most case they aren't doing much more Work when they work extra hours. Just more busy work .

When someone jumps to what they love from the corporate grind . If they are not careful. They build a business with a lot of busyness that doesn't do much business.

The average former employee trying to do what they love . Tends to believe out sourcing is a bad word (Almost as bad as large profit). They will waist a lot of time trying to do stuff themselves . That can be done relatively cheaply by a professional.

Bah i think i have just pu tway to much though into why small businesses fail.

Ken

Good point Ken.

Some of what you mention-- busy work as opposed to productive work is discussed in the terrific book "The Goal" by Eliyahu M. Goldratt. I would recommend everyone read that fine book.