John H. Johnson, creative business leader and former owner and publisher of Ebony Magazine, said, “To succeed, one must be creative and persistent.” This advice comes from a man who created a multi-million dollar enterprise in 1942 with a $500 loan from his mother. As if the country entering the Second World War wasn’t enough, Johnson also opened a business in a field few African Americans had yet to succeed at on a large scale. To get the word out about his new business, Johnson employees would canvas neighborhoods, handing out copies of Negro Digest, the periodical that would help build readership for the company’s other magazines like Jet and Ebony.
Tough Times for Creative Business Leaders
To say times were tough when John H. Johnson started his business would be an understatement. One can almost be sure that he felt pressure, both from within and outside himself, to not only survive, but to also succeed, to become golden. For more than 60 years, before he transitioned in 2005, John H. Johnson did the latter. Sunday, September 11, 2011 another leader (this time in the NFL) stood up beneath months of media attention, criticism and pressure and became golden. Cam Newton’s first game as quarterback of the Carolina Panthers wasn’t even over, the buzzer having yet to sound, when sportscasters and fans started hailing his praises. Newton had posted more than 400 yards during his first professional football outing. It almost seemed like the youngster hadn’t been viewed with suspicion during his college days when stories that his father offered his son’s collegiate athletic services in exchange for money surfaced.
Whether it’s in sports business or creative business, it’s highly likely that there will be times when you feel pressure. If you’re a mid-size to large company, the pressure might come from media reports about the prices and/or benefits of your business products and services. Should your creative business get large enough, the volume of your quarterly and annual sales may feel like a source of pressure. Additionally, as a small business owner, new federal or local laws, particularly insurance and tax laws (e.g. workman’s compensation, unemployment insurance, payroll taxes), might find you wondering how you’re going to afford to keep your doors open.
Responding to Tough Times for Creative Business Leaders
Regardless of the reason, if you’re feeling pressure, consider:
- United Technologies Corporation was founded in 1929 during the Great Depression (the company reported $58.7 billion in revenues in 2008 according to CNN Money’s “6 Companies Born during Downturns” article)
- FedEx was started in 1973, during the 1970s oil crisis
- Microsoft started in Bill Gates’ garage in 1975 (20 years later seems everyone had heard of Microsoft)
To help move through pressure, also consider:
- Writing down a list of reasons as to why you opened your business (e.g. to help improve people’s lives with the products and/or services you offer)
- Stepping away from your work for one to two days, then returning and measuring how you feel
- Asking your employees to brainstorm for innovative product, service and customer relations ideas that may help propel your creative business forward
Furthermore, if you stay abreast of your expenditures as much as you keep up with your profits, you can positively influence your bottom line by making small changes. For example, you could hire a handful of consultants to design your new website or create a new online service instead of hiring full-time employees, saving yourself payroll expenses and real estate and administrative costs. Throughout your business operation, stay open to change. Remain creative and innovative, and if you feel as if one of your business products or services is not matching your dreams, consider stepping back, accessing the situation and recouping. Remember what Henry Ford said, “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
Get into Spiral online at: https://www.ebookit.com/books/0000000841/Spiral.html
Check out Long Walk Up online at: https://www.ebookit.com/books/0000000531/Long-Walk-Up.html
Sources:
http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/story/_/id/6961084/cam-newton-makes-page-2-list-top-debuts (ESPN: Cam Newton Makes List of Top Debuts)
http://www.getbusymedia.com/small-business-stats/#comment-2496 (Get Busy Media: Small Business Stats for Small Business Week 2011)
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/smallbusiness/0901/gallery.founded_in_a_recession.smb/5.html (CNN Money: 6 Companies Born during Downturns)
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Ebony magazine founder, John H. Johnson, and Mary Kay are inspiring. All the people noted in the article started in a position where they had to really come up to achieve the levels of success they did! Read Mary Kay’s autobiography years ago. A great read! A great woman and business leader!
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