By Princess Jones
“I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” – Thomas Jefferson
Luck can be a touchy subject. Some people really believe in the power of luck and superstitions. They know their lucky numbers, they have their rabbit’s foot, and they are always on the lookout for signs. Others believe that the only luck in the world comes from hard work.
The one thing we can all agree on is that we’d all like a little more luck in our corner. If you want your business to attract more luck, it’s all about opportunity and preparedness.
Be Open to Opportunity
There is a lot of disagreement about whether luck even exists, but almost everyone will agree that when opportunity meets preparation, amazing things happen. So how do you find more opportunity? You make yourself open to it.
Start with having the right attitude. An optimistic attitude will meet more opportunity than a negative one. Surround yourself with employees, colleagues, and mentors who know what they are doing and have can-do attitudes. Make it a point to look for trends and ideas that match your business’ skill sets. Once you open yourself up to opportunity, you’ll start to see it everywhere.
Make Preparedness Your Standard Operating Procedure
The second half of the luck equation is all about anticipating possible scenarios. Ask yourself how prepared your small business is and how prepared you are as an entrepreneur. Think both big and small.
Do you always have business cards on you? Do you always have samples of your product just in case you run into someone who just might be interested in them? Do you have disaster preparedness plans in place for your restaurant? Does your entire staff know what to do in case of emergency? Do you make it a point to map out all possible scenarios and put thought into what the best plan of action would be? Do revise your business plan frequently?
I know an author who always has a case of her books in his trunk and a Square card reader in her purse. If someone says “Oh, I’ve been meaning to buy your book,” she tells them that she has a copy for them and she’ll even offer to sign it. If they say “I don’t have cash,” she whips out her phone and her Square reader to take a card payment. Now that’s someone who knows how to make her own luck. No four leaf clover required.