In life there are good problems and bad problems. The funny thing is that we often stress out just as much about good problems as bad ones. Good problems need to be looked at as signs of success. Needing to find a new CSR due to growth, having too many quotes to handle, needing new office space because you are all out of it! These are all great problems. Yet sometimes we choose not to grow for fear of these problems.
Bad problems are layoffs, not making payroll, getting canned from a carrier for not sustaining growth. Those are terrible problems and the solutions are not fun to enact. So when we encounter good problems, let’s celebrate. Growing agencies will have growing pains. We love growing pains. It’s like the age old tax comparison, I hate paying taxes but it means I’m making money!
So stop worrying about your good problems and instead embrace them. I did something insane last week. I was at Netvu in Indiana. I bought not one but two booths for next year’s conference. Yes me, a little 10 month old company with me as the only employee. Want to know why? I just created a good problem. By this time next year I need to have 2 of me and now a trade show booth. This means I have to relentlessly achieve my goals to hit my target. I posted on Facebook about my purchase. Immediately I received comments about how I must charge a lot or am getting paid too much. I had to chuckle. Why would you take business advice from someone who is not willing to grow their own business? My plan is for 3 years to constantly reinvest in this company for growth. There will be growing pains, my role will change because I have to find better people to replace me from doing all the jobs. If in 1 year my company looks the same, I should sell it or close it. You should to! So go out there any get some good problems.
