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Why do many small businesses think they have to “go it alone”? They believe they should be able to succeed by learning everything, doing everything, being everything to everybody. They believe the only way to succeed is by reinventing the wheel from the ground up.

If this is you then your approach is self limiting. It is costing you success and wealth.

No person or business is as island – they rely on other people to help supply their needs. Just look at the computer screen on your desk in front of you. People from around the world created it for you – they assembled the hardware, coded the software, designed the equipment that manufactured the pieces within it. People built your desk and your chair. People drove trucks to stores with your goods on the back and people sold them to you. Your desk and computer are the results of thousands of people working together to bring them to you.

Where am I going with this?

You didn’t decide to handcraft the desk by yourself. You didn’t grow the timber, cut the tree, finish the wood, make the nails and assemble it. You relied on other people’s expertise to help you. You already have the experience of relying on others – extend this further.

Where are you standing by yourself in your business? Where are you trying to reinvent a wheel that someone else already has invented? Sure you can improve the design, but fundamentally the wheel is sound. Build on it.

I see this all of the time with businesses trying to find a perfect niche no one else has thought of. It has been thought of – the question is has it been applied effectively.

I see it in businesses trying to build a product, write a policy or code software from scratch. Templates exist – borrow and build on them.

I see it in businesses trying to implement cutting edge HR practices and change initiatives when the dust hasn’t settled on the last effort. They don’t reflect on what has been done and build on that. They don’t borrow ideas from people who have successfully been there – done that.

I see it in businesses trying to market by themselves – when a shared mail out with like businesses can be cheaper and more effective.

I see it in businesses fight to gain clients – when providing referrals means everybody wins (including the clients as they get people with a great track record).

So what can you do? Stop and reflect before you act. Why are you trying to reinvent the wheel? Is there already a wheel you can build on? How can you borrow ideas from other great businesses and implement them/tweak them to make them your own? How can you learn from the past and other’s experiences.

My blog contains stacks of “Twitters” about great sites around the world where people are doing interesting things. Check out some of them and be inspired.

Form your own Master Mind group to keep you motivated and to share ideas – learn from each other

Go to networking events and learn from others experiences.

Share your knowledge and expertise. Share your wisdom on social groups such as LinkedIn and Yahoo answers

- you may have the answers others need to hear
The bottom line is you don’t need to stand alone.

Ask – share – learn – build on what is already great. Your success will be so much greater as you are starting from a higher point

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff
Heart Harmony