Skip the Latte, Save Your Business

Businesses are struggling in this tough economy, and small micro and solo businesses are no exception.  Everyone is thinking twice about spending money, which means they want to see value in you and your services if they are going to spend it on you.  In order to give them that value, you need to make sure that your business is top priority when it comes to what you know and what you deliver. I re-tweeted a post by a friend on Twitter yesterday.  I didn’t re-tweet it because I agreed or disagreed with the latte factor® making one rich.  I re-tweeted it  for an entirely different reason.   To combat the ‘I can’t afford that’ brigade.

You know what I’m talking about.  We’ve all been guilty of it.  You know  business could be better,  you know that you’re lacking a skill, knowledge or even equipment that could make a real difference.  But it costs a bit more than you’re comfortable spending.  So you tell yourself, “I can’t afford that” and you continue as you have been, struggling to find new clients and make your business work.

But how much are you spending on lattes a month?  or maybe for you it’s something else.  Manicures, pedicures or salon visits,  trips to the local fast food restaurant for a quick lunch or dinner, a weekly golf game or pizza delivery are all small expenditures that can add up to big money.  For me it was paying for a wireless air card for two years when I had a wifi hotspot on my cell phone.  Often things we consider small add up in big ways.

Only you can decide how serious you are about building your business.   Is it worth skipping the lattes?