After over 30 years working with and in small business, one of the most noticeable differences I’ve discovered between successful businesses and those that are unsuccessful, is very simple; the successful ones do the small, almost insignificant things well, all of the time.

The unsuccessful ones are always looking for ‘The Silver Bullet’; the one thing that will change everything for them; but let me tell you now – it doesn’t exist!

I’m an avid sportsman (armchair division) and I’ve spent years trying to figure out, what it is that makes some people and teams successful while others are not. Talent is one factor of course; however, I don’t believe it’s the most important determining factor. In my long life, I’ve met many people with extraordinary ability, but who remain disappointingly unsuccessful.

My favourite sport to watch is Australian Rules

Football and what I’ve realised is the difference between the top and bottom teams, is their willingness to continue to do those things that they know they need to do, even when they are placed under pressure. They know that it’s not the flashy spectacular play that will win them the game, but the unrelenting commitment to the team strategy and process. This commitment applies equally as much to what they do at practice, as it does to what they do in the match; in fact, how they practice has a direct outcome in what happens during the match.

This applies just as much to business as it does to sport. How often, when under pressure, have we tried to cut corners, ignoring the proven process, and let’s be really honest, how often do we allow that to happen in our daily lives?

We also need to build a strategy and process and then follow it. We need to keep practicing it until we can do it right, every time, no matter how much pressure we find ourselves under.

One of the most common complaints I hear when I teaching either a group or an individual, is that they already know what I’m teaching. However, when I respond with a question about how they execute that strategy, more often than not, it is that they are not actually doing it!

I’ve had a love affair with small business for well over 30 years and now that I’ve sold my practice, I have the time to work with small business owners, helping them improve their profitability, their work-life balance and finally the sale price of their business.

One of my big frustrations has been that in Australia, only about 21% of small businesses get sold; at any price. But perhaps even more devastating is the fact that 80% of small business owners earn less than the average weekly wage. So not only do they get short changed at the end, but they also lose out along the way as well, as they work long, stress filled hours each week.