By Justine Clay
Flying home from Europe last week, I grabbed a copy of British Vogue for the flight. I read it from cover to cover, but one thing that really stood out (aside from the fact that jewel-toned fedoras and below the knee hemlines are a must for Fall) was an article about Burberry’s Creative Director, Christopher Bailey. In the 10 years since he’s been at the helm, Burberry has gone from stuffy British brand, to one of the leading luxury brands worldwide. So much so, they just posted 40% increase in profits in this economy!
So, what’s the secret? Naturally, talent has a LOT to do with it, but I think this statement was particularly telling:
“anyone can have a great idea. There are a million ideas out there. A zillion ideas. And some of them are amazing. But if you can’t execute them properly, it’s worth zilch”
It got me thinking about my own business and how well I execute ideas. To be honest, sometimes I’m better at it that others so I started thinking about what factors are key in creating and maintaining momentum:
Create some excitement
Businesses are like relationships, you need to keep the spark alive. When you’re excited about what you’re doing, others get excited too.
Rules of engagement
Being passive won’t cut it. In order to grow you need to be proactive and develop new business relationships and opportunities.
Stay focused
Know what your mission and vision are and stick to them. If an idea or action doesn’t meet your criteria, put it on the back burner and review at a later date.
Just do it
It’s easy to procrastinate, especially if you’re feeling less than sparkly about how it’s going. Do something, anything….it’ll create the momentum you need to move forward.
Surround yourself with like-minded people
You’re as good as the people you surround yourself with, so whether it’s employees or a business support group, choose people who naturally support your vision.
