A friend’s company has opportunities for ridiculous growth. For years, she has been reorganizing, tinkering with technology, planning and strategizing, yet her company’s results are flat. She seems to always be on the verge of a breakthrough, “right after” she finishes or fixes the next thing.  She spends her time and resources on internal projects that are seemingly important, but are generally “shiny coins” that steal her attention.  This leaves sales and marketing as an underserved byproduct.

This is a common problem for entrepreneurs.

We are busy fixing problems, delivering, fulfilling, and servicing: stuck in a mindset that is internally focused and myopic. We have little ability to seize opportunities with a myopic mindset.

A few years ago, I was in a strategy session with an executive who had a plan to address the subpar results his company was experiencing. The “big” plan was to step into a new segment of the market to capture a wider customer base.   When I asked how his plan would address a need or want in the market, his response was rather typical:  “Customers don’t know what they want.” He had put together and focused his attention on a plan without considering how it would help or serve a customer; he was internally focused and myopic. Not surprising, the company continues producing subpar results.

A professional services company had been growing at a rapid clip for 4 years and hit a speed bump. They found themselves all knotted up internally and ignoring what the customer was experiencing.  In this situation, they were not meeting customer expectations and customers were quietly looking for alternatives. Somehow, they had become oblivious to what was needed and faced serious threats.

The decisions vary and the distractions are always pressing, but the mindset is the same.  As entrepreneurs, we must remember the obvious, the purpose of the organization is to create and retain a customer. The only result that matters is when a customer decides to buy, and this only happens outside the organization. (Drucker)