There is a sense of hopelessness when it
comes to the economy and crime especially. Whilst we continue to wait in vain
for top-level change, maybe it’s time for us to collectively make little
positive changes on our own that can help break us out of this downward spiral.
I’m referring to us, small business people/entrepreneurs, some of whom will be
the country’s decision makers of tomorrow. Let’s choose ‘Integrity’ in 2018.
Here are 5 reasons why you should build your businesses on a foundation of integrity!
1) Build loyal clients
Give up a little in the short term and benefit big time in the long term. Don’t ever sell your customers short to profit dishonestly. I have been ‘short-changed’ in the products received from businesses in the past. Whilst, I may not have put a company on blast, I simply never went back. Sometimes situations are presented that allow your positive qualities to shine. Honesty, for example, can shine when you return funds from a client’s overpayment due to their mistake. You’ll gain a long-term ambassador in the end.
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2) Word Spreads Quickly
You can advertise as much as you want and fine-tune the look of your brand a hundred times, but nothing beats the strength of word of mouth. In an island like Trinidad especially, unfortunately bad news spreads faster than good news, but good news does get around. If a client is happy with your product, their friends and family are bound to know eventually.
3) Foster a Healthy Economy
Don’t you dream of the day when businesses succeed, solely dependent on the quality of their product or marketing game? Unfortunately, our economy hasn’t been given a fair chance to develop organically. Some cut corners, give ‘gifts’ or leverage friendships unethically to get ahead to the detriment of our best products getting a fair chance…the result is ‘subpar everything’!! Let’s change it. Choose to improve how you compete. Improve your product or step up your game. A healthy economy with healthy competition is more desirable for foreign investment. A country with great people with great products is more desirable for visitors.
I believe that the entertainment industry for example has the potential to stand at the fore, year ‘round as a tourist magnet, even over the beaches of beautiful Tobago.
4) Happiness
There’s no deeper sense of happiness than reaping the rewards of your success knowing that you did it the right way. Isn’t happiness what we’re all trying to achieve at the end of the day?
Maybe wealth can help you get to that happy place, but happiness in its purest form exists on the inside. Recently hearing my mom and her sisters speak of life growing up…what struck me was that despite the simple poverty of their conditions, the family was genuinely happy.
5) It’s the Right Thing to do
That’s all! Do the right thing, because it’s simply the right thing to do! Not every right decision you make should have to be for your personal foreseeable benefit. Tempering our selfish nature will do a heap of good for society!!
Do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do and leave behind your positive mark on the world!
Trinidad and Tobago cannot keep on the track we are on. We lack integrity at all levels of society. With so many small businesses emerging, some of which will eventually be the movers and shakers of tomorrow, start developing good habits from today! Of course we are not perfect, but one day at a time, let’s try to do better.
Thank you for reading. If you liked what you read, please share with your friends. Look out for new blogs every Sunday.
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Stefan