In business we’ve learned that urgency is key, especially in responding to customer needs or wants. But another key for the leader is the longevity of the business, and where it needs to go. Sometimes the results of the tactics you are using and what you may gain at the time do not add up to the big vision you seek.

It’s important to have dreams.

They were the only things that kept some of us going while we were growing up!

Having a plan is part of those dreams. While dreams may look far away and unreachable, with a plan you can start to see and believe in reaching the goals and the dreams.

Are you building a job for yourself, or building a company?

The difference between the two is simple:

Building a job is networking to find gigs for yourself, just so you can get paid.

Building a company is looking for jobs or gigs for the entire team to get paid, not just me.

Through my journey as an entrepreneur, immigrant, stateless refugee, and even homeless at one time, I learned that sometimes you’re on top, and sometimes you’re on the bottom. And often, it feels like it is never going to end — no matter which side of the scale you’re on.

Today I share with you some insights that have helped me stay focused while facing big challenges over the years.

Working in the economic development arena for a number of years now, I’ve come to see that the term “small business” varies in meaning. Most of the time, economic development people use the term to indicate businesses with 10–50 employees. Some even stretch it to mean up to 400 employees, which are the businesses they most hope to attract.

The people who mentored me years ago never told me what to do. They simply shed light on the journey they took, so I could learn from their experience. There was no “this is the right/wrong way” — there was only “this is what I did that worked (or didn’t).” Their mentoring was about their individual journey and what I could learn from it.

One of the important factors when creating economic development programs in any part of the world is knowledge of the resources you have in place.

I’ve come to see that some people operate on FOMO — Fear of Missing Out — to leverage the advancement of their career, or in selling their products or services.

I’ve heard SO many times over the years. When I started in sales — decades ago — I sold absolutely nothing for a long time. I learned later that it might take a hundred NO’s before you get to the first YES you may need for the day month or year.

One thing I’ve learned in my years of working with entrepreneurs, small business owners, and the organizations that support them is that a mismatch in perception is almost guaranteed in every scenario.

I often use the statement “your brand is not what you say, but what others say about you.” It doesn’t mean that you can’t try to change or influence what they say, or that you can’t promote or market the brand you are aiming to be, or think you are.

When William Shakespeare posed the question, “What’s in a name?” he wasn’t talking business, but if he were, my response would be, “Everything!”

In my last blog, I mentioned that the reality of branding is people-determinant.

I suggested that you can contribute to that brand by articulating what you want the public to know.

“While you control things such as your logo, colors, slogans, mission, vision and core values, at the end of the day your brand is what others say about you based on what they perceive it to be, or what they have experienced.”

“Most of the work can be done by an employee with the right attitude, and a bit of “upscaling” of their skills, through training or education.”

“The image you hope to present of yourself impacts you as a person, and can impact your employees, your customers, and your entire business performance. Think about what your self-image will do for you as well as for the community you live in, and for your business.”

“Someone may hold a position that entitles them to “lead” people, but that doesn’t mean that they are a leader within the community. They may have POWER over the community, but that’s not the same as being a true leader.”

“While some companies can attempt to force you to go into the office, many try to leverage the idea that you can work from anywhere. This allows you to expand to new areas, locations, and potentially to live the life you want to.”

“Working with entrepreneurs and leaders I understand that they don’t always want to wait for something to happen. They want to make things happen right now. But some things need persistence and repetition.” -Faris Alami