The Learning Performance

In this time of troubles, keeping businesses afloat is invariably the only thought most businessman has in mind. How to survive through lean time? This remind me of the so-called good old days. The good old days were good:- great in fact as compare to these days. I remember the mid 90s to even early year 2000. We were not worry about not having business, we were worry about anything less then 30% margin. You remember those time?

But like everything else, good times do not last. I believe that time has changed, and the way to do businesses, or to run businesses, is vast becoming an art of science, with myriads of technology thrown in, and thus substaintally different from, say 20 years ago. What I meant is this. If you think you can do the same thing today as you did 20 years ago and think that still work for you (yes 20 years ago you might have made tons of profit doing that ways), then you are into a rude shock.

It is just not going to work anymore.

It is a matter of math really. 20 years ago, your profit margin might be say (conservatively) 30%. Nowsaday, in most industries, that has been slashed down to 5% or less due to intense competitions. A wrong decision that swings margin of error of 5% would not have done much damage when margin is at 30%, but would immediately put you in a lossing proposition at margin of 5%. You can't just take thing for granted anymore.

Each step is full of unseen traps that could trip you and send you to oblivion. Just look at those failed American companies!

So what do you do?

Let start with a mindset change. Trust me, gone are the days you can start a business in the garage and becoming like Bill Gates or Steven Job.

Equip yourself with tools and technology available and leverage those things. To do this, you've to be open minded. Unlearn, and Learn. Learning is a life-long process.

Move ahead. Like standing along a railway track, if you don't move, the train will pass you by.