"Ambition is not what a man would do, but what a man does, for ambition without action is fantasy."
Bryant H. McGill
Do you have the discipline to succeed?
A friend of mine said to me in an email:
"Clay, have you got any tips for me, on how to be diligent enough to finish a book? I’ve
started, but have allowed myself to get sidetracked for long periods of time."
I wrote this response and thought it worthy enough to pass on to everyone:
"I don’t know if it will work for you; but here’s what I know to be true and what I
have found out personally.
- If a person can just have the discipline to develop a habit of eating an apple
day, they can do anything!! (I try to eat an apple every day some days I miss but
almost every day!)
- If you determine that come hell or high water, you will eat the apple each
day, then you would have the discipline to eat healthy that day. (I eat healthy
every day. I am 5ft 9in tall and weigh 170 lbs and have 33 inch waist and I
take no medications of any kind; at 58 that’s pretty good results from that
habit I started 30 years ago)
- If you can eat healthy and make it a habit then you could/would have the
fortitude to add another habit (or discipline) to that first one. I added
saving money. If you can eat an apple a day, you can make yourself save 10% of
your income. (We save 10% every month. That’s where the money came from to start
the Kentucky Opry; this month is our 21st anniversary.)
- If you can eat the apple, and save 10%, you can add another discipline. I added a
daily morning devotion. (I have been doing the morning prayer-time, and Bible
reading for several years now - and it has changed my life.)
- I you can make yourself eat the apple, save the 10%, and do your daily
devotion, then you can add another discipline; I added exercise. (I try to
exercise 3-4 days per week about 20-30 minutes at a time. I use an Ab Lounge 2,
an Ab Doer Pro model, A Nordic Track Ski Machine, a Nordic Elliptical, and
also 10 lb weights)
- If you eat the apple, save 10%, do a daily devotion and exercise, then that
would give you the confidence to add another discipline, I added writing. After
going to my first writing class at the Wizard Academy 7 years ago, I read the book
Bird by Bird. It’s all about the discipline of daily writing.
- Next I had a story. I had a story I really wanted to tell. The story of my
extreme poverty as a child and how I overcome the odds to become almost famous.
And how I used to be sinner and God changed my life. The story of me hitch hiking
from Missouri to California when I was just 16. The story of a bankruptcy and
two divorces and on and on
Now here is my point: one good discipline leads to another, and also one lack of
discipline leads to another.
Now, I just wrote to you about 480 words (not counting these added words) and if
you would just write 480 words each day, for 45-50 days, you will have your book!! It
all starts with an apple a day. You can do it! I’ve never seen a determined woman
that could not get done what she disciplined herself to do. You can do it. (I will
help you through if you want)"
Reasons why a business can do well in spite of a poor economy and large big box competitors.
Interview with Jim Hank, Hank Brothers True Value Hardware Stores
Jim and Chuck Hank own two True Value Hardware Stores in Paducah Kentucky.
There are 3 large big box stores (2 Lowes, a Home Depot, a Sam’s Club and two Super Wal-Marts) and 2 True Value
stores. Paducah’s population is 26,307 but it’s also a trade center – pulling from all the other counties around.
Jim Hank - “64,765 is the county size; I drive parking lots to see where people are
coming from. Certainly not all McCracken Country; Paducah is the center of the healthcare industry
here. There are 2 huge regional hospitals, and we are also the only county that has alcohol around here.”
Clay Campbell: What has kept you from going broke when so many people like you, owning mom
and pop stores, competing with big box stores, are dwindling and almost gone. What have you done to
avoid going broke?
J H: You have to come up with innovative ideas to compete. We do niche marketing – we do this
because the big box stores don’t. If they are selling lawn furniture and basically giving it away; we can’t
do that. If you do what they do you will lose.
One of the things we do well is small engine repair. We have mechanics in both our stores. We repair
lawn mowers, chain saws, etc. You can buy from big box store, but when it fails, we can fix it. Let
them sell it one time, we might get to repair it 10 -20 times.
We have a very active plumbing department. We have licensed plumber on staff; we can cut and turn pipe.
We can do it in about 5 minutes.
We have licensed electrician on staff; he can tell customers exactly what they need, not guessing like a
clerk might do at big box store.
We have a heating center at the store; gas Logs, wall heaters, kerosene heaters, we sell kerosene and
propane tanks. We can fill the tanks too. And, we work on kerosene heaters, no matter where it is bought – we
are the only ones in the whole area who will repair the heaters.
Big box sells a lot of things that we don’t, but we have things like a locksmith on staff, and we can
rescreen windows.
C C: Do other True Value do what you’re doing?
J H: Yes, some, but we do quite a bit extra. It all depends on where it’s located, and
the need is in that location. Now in our paint department, we were the first one here to have the Colorargen
computer – to match paint to a specific item; we can match any paint perfectly.
When we have somebody who is happy with one service, then they will think maybe we will try some of their
other services.
We take phone bills, gas bills, credit cards payments etc – we are a payment agent for Bellsouth. About
280 different bills are accepted at our location, and the bill is posted online within 20 seconds.
We learned while we were in True Value Training that location and advertising are big factors. If a
location is bad, you’ll spend more money on advertising.
C C: We always say: “The cheapest advertising you can have is expensive rent.”
J H: We are fourth generation owners, this is our 112th year.
We specialize in service, and niche marketing; that’s why we are doing well even in the poor economy
and with stiff big box store competition. We believe that relationships are important – you need to
spoil the customer, make them really feel like not wanting to go anywhere else.
C C: I read a great book about that called, “Raving Fans”. We do the same thing at my
business, we spoil the customer and try to turn them into Raving Fans. So what is your advice to other
business owners out there trying to succeed in this economy?
J H: My advice is; keep your expenses low. We have paid off both our buildings, and now have
very low overhead. If your overhead and debt are high, the economy will have a very negative effect on you.
Another thing; you need to expect to work and work long hours if you have your own business. During the
recent ice storm, I worked, and many of my staff worked, every day open to close, just taking Sundays off.
You must focus on trends – be aware what’s hot and what’s not. For example just 2 months ago we were
selling 50-60 chain saws a day… right now I can’t sell any. Be aware and stay ahead of trends.
Last but not the least, we have great employees that run this place, we treat them well. Many have
been with us a long time. They are the ones in the trenches everyday and deal with “the folks”. If you
treat them well, they will perform well. Employees are a big part of our success.
Perhaps now would be a good time to have a complimentary meeting with a Wizard of Ads Partner. Links to their websites and blogs are listed down the right side of The Wizard Times. Hundreds of their articles with free insightful advice can been seen at www.americansmallbusiness.com 2009 would be a great year to attend a class at the Wizard Academy 21st Century Business School in Austin Texas. What is the Wizard Academy?
See you next week.
Clay Campbell
Wizard of Ads
PS. Need help to attract more customers and grow your business?
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