NFIB

Scary Times Aren't Always Haunted
11/ 11/ 2002

by Harvey King

When you run a small business, every day is like Halloween. You open the door and there beaming at you like a pack of eager five-year-olds are lots of little successes and setbacks--all dressed in costumes masquerading their true identities and real intentions.

What will it be today? Tricks? Or treats? You never know. Sudden setbacks can turn into opportunities as sweet as a bag of full-sized Mars bars. And just when that great news arrives you've been waiting months to hear, it turns out to be as welcome as a paper sack burning on the front porch.

For instance, I recently ran into a friend who owns a lumberyard and observed these must be good times for him as our area is experiencing near-record activity in home building.

"Oh no," he corrected me, "My margins have never been so thin. We're in the middle of a price war with the Canadians that is nearly wiping out whole segments of the American lumber industry."

There went another blow to my hopes for a future career as an economics pundit.

Yesterday, I called to check in with another friend who runs a high-profile service firm in our community when I read that a long-time customer had left him for an out-of-town supplier.

"Sorry to hear about your client," I said. "Are you kidding?" he replied. "I've lost money on them for months and helped them find the new supplier. Firing misfitting clients is something we've had to do several times and it has always led to better opportunities," he explained.

Perhaps it's the law of unintended consequences or a matter of luck and timing, or maybe it's just human nature. But I've come to believe a small business owner is often better off taking a contrarian's point of view in response to good news and bad.

Don't let the sweet times turn you complacent. Assume they will melt in your hands, not in your mouth.

And when times make you feel like you're starring in a movie titled Nightmare on Main Street, don't fear: you'll wake up soon and it will be one day closer to Thanksgiving.

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This article originally appeared in the October/November 2002 issue of MyBusiness magazine.

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