What sets you apart? What sets your company apart?
Recently Connect Now Business Network (”CNBN”) reviewed our SWOT analysis. And it got us to thinking how much this company has grown since it underwent new ownership with Katie McKay a little over a year ago.
It took a while to dig past “strengths for any networking group” (and there are many good ones out there) and really focus on what is great about us. It also made us realize just how much we had changed in that year and how important it is to reflect on your company fairly regularly. If we had done the same exercise a year ago, we would have had different results.
This got me thinking.
When was the last time you reflected on your company?
Not where it was years ago when you started out. Not where you plan on being in 5 years from now. Right now……… in this minute. Whatis it about your company that set’s you apart from all the others in your industry?
While our network believes in collaboration over competition, it is still good to know: what is the thing that makes your business different from the rest? If you are struggling to figure that out, perhaps ask yourself the following questions:
- What is my story? What was it that made you get into business in the beginning?
- What am I particularly good at or proud of?
- Is there something in your company culture/values that is different from the rest?
- Do you offer something a little different to the other companies in your industry?
- Can you provide your service in half the time?
And of course never forget that there is certainly one thing your company has that other businesses do not………. YOU! (Unless you have more than one business…… in which case that bit of dramatic flair just failed…….. oh bother……. Well you get my point!)
At Connect Now we came to realize there were a couple of things that sets our network apart.
First is the strength of our meeting leaders. Each with their own uniqueness and skill set. Each one of them sharing the Connect Now values:
- Heart Centered
- Problem solving
- Wanting you to succeed
Second is that we focus on the person running the business. You the business owner. While other networks may focus on your business (and that is great, we all need that as well) we focus on you. It’s personal to us and we want you to succeed. Check in on our monthly Power Hour where we talk about the struggles that entrepreneur’s face. It’s live on Facebook on the first Monday of each month!
Donna King
Donna is the CFO of Connect Now Business Network, a fourth-generation entrepreneur and financial consultant. She has worked with money or cash management for most of her career. What started out collecting fines for the legal system or collecting debts for private enterprise progressed into bookkeeping with an accounting firm. This gave her a solid understanding of what you need to run your business and what you accountant needs to prepare your year-end financials and tax returns. After many years in this field and 2 children later it was time to set up her consulting company Beyond Balanced Books. Donna has a passion for helping business owners understand their financials and how best to utilize their money to grow their business in the quickest way possible. Her unique approach focuses on not only the business cash flow but how personal cash flow affects the business growth as well. She has a way of explaining numbers that makes them less scary. Donna delivers her advice with humourous flare backed up with solid accounting practices.
