Business Alone

I don't know of a large profitable corporation that doesn't regularly seek professional advice on a whole range of business issues.

As a solo business owner, you may have a tendency to rely strictly upon your own knowledge and skill for all your business needs. You may figure that since you're in business for yourself, it's up to you to find answers to your questions and problems.

In actuality, the smart business owner is one that recognizes and admits he has limitations in certain business areas and will seek out professionals who can advise and help him over the rough spots.

No doubt you have heard this famous phrase many times before - it is used in context with both scientific application and general business principles.

I will borrow it today to talk about an important habit that I think all entrepreneurs ought to adopt and practice for the rest of their lives.

I have mentioned many times that the most successful solo business owners are the ones that ride the crest of the wave of trends and technology in their niche.

One of the ways they do that is by keeping themselves informed about the environment in which they operate (their niche subject) and the world of business both nationally and globally.

One of my favorite mentors (even though I have not personally met him) is a gentleman by the name of Seth Godin. He was formerly the Direct Marketing Vice President at Yahoo!

I call him a mentor because I feel his direction and guidance have helped me immensely in my business career. He keeps in contact with his readers through his popular blog found HERE .

Seth is also a prolific writer and a creative genius when it comes to understanding human behavior in the context of online marketing psychology and how companies can be successful as they develop relationships with their customers.

Many businesses are simply little fish in a big ocean, swimming and scurrying about hoping to be noticed or "chosen" by those customers that want what they have to offer.

That is no way to run a business.

Getting noticed involves a lot of positive, pro-active, and planned steps that lead to incremental wins or successes. Typically, the process of being noticed and spreading the word about your products is an expensive and drawn out affair.

But there are things you can do every day in your business to create "buzz." And according to author Richard Laermer, in his great little book Full Frontal PR, this one characteristic of your marketing (creating buzz) is often the difference between success and failure in your total effort.

Malcolm Gladwell, a talented and observant staff writer for "The New Yorker," has written a little book that you, the entrepreneur, should read as part of your basic small business education.

Here are the details:

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
by Malcolm Gladwell, Feb. 2000, 288pp.

Gladwell understands human behavior and social trends that have shaped the American economy and influenced the business world so profoundly.

If you're a businessman, an advertiser, customer relations specialist, product developer, or web site owner, The Tipping Point holds many nuggets and gems that will influence the way you view your job and execute your mission.

On my reading list for all online solo business owners is Michael LeBoeuf's little paperback called The Perfect Business.

The corporate salaried employee stereotype with stock options, a hefty 401K, and holiday pay may soon become a relic of the past.

Job security is no longer prevalent. Corporate downsizing, mergers, and take-overs can spell unemployment for even the most proficient and tenured of workers.

LeBoeuf's book is perfect for the employee that decides to leave structured business life and test the waters of self-employment.

His writing is motivational, inspirational, and filled with solid reasons why solo business may be just the solution for those ousted from the 8-to-5 routine.

Another book that I like to recommend to entrepreneurs and existing small business owners is The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki, a columnist for The New Yorker magazine.

It was published in May 2004 and has 320 pages. The subtitle is: "Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations."

That's quite a mouthful and suggests that there really is wisdom, influence, and, in particular, power in the thinking and opinions of the masses, either to the benefit or detriment of every society, organization, and economy in the world.