Altona CAN - Reinvent During the COVID 19 Shutdown

On the news and in conversations I hear a lot of “Woe is me” complaints. It is true that these are hard times and

some will suffer more than others, and some won’t suffer at all. Especially vulnerable are small business owners

who have put a lot of effort and their life savings into their business.

We can also view what is happening to us in this COVID 19 pandemic as “someone” closing the door for us. We

should not blame ourselves for this loss. It is someone else’s fault, in this case a virus.

Let me illustrate from my own past. In 1996 the Manitoba sugar beet industry closed. I was a sugar beet farmer at

that time, and this was devastating for me and my small farm. I could make an income of $700 per acre with sugar

beets and only $100 per acre with wheat. I would either have to find more land (almost impossible locally) or shut

down the farm and do something else. I took the winter to think about it. On a piece of paper I wrote down all the

activities I was involved in. I analyzed each activity and asked myself, “Am I enjoying this?” “Am I making

money with this activity?” “Does this activity take me away from my wife and young children?”

After analyzing all my activities, I decided to end my career as a crop farmer and seek employment at the

University of Manitoba. At the time it was very distressing, but as I look back, I am grateful that the farming door

closed for me, thereby allowing me to have a wonderful alternative career which I have enjoyed very much.

If this COVID crisis has shut you down, you should take the time to analyze all your activities and evaluate

whether you should continue what you are doing or use this shutdown as an opportunity to re-invent yourself. Now

is the time to do the research on what the new you will look like. Prepare a business plan. Talk to friends about your

ideas.

In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins uses a bus driver as an analogy for a business owner. He says the driver

does not start the bus, and then tell the people on the bus where you are going. Rather, he says, the driver first

chooses the people that will be on his bus, and then asks them where to drive.

Now is the time that business opportunities will arise. Look out for what needs to be done and what is not being

done that you could do. Do it with a group of people that you choose.

Hernando de Soto, a Peruvian economist, says that to start a successful business you must be passionate - yes

passionate, about three things: production, finance and marketing. He also says that no one person has all three

passions and that is why starting a business with others is a great idea.

By Gary Martens, friend of ACAN .

ACAN seeks to educate and inspire sustainable practices in our community.

altonacan@gmail.com Give us a shout if you would like to be a Friend of ACAN.