Recently we (Erik and I) were golfing with a couple guys from another local company. It was the first time I’ve been on a golf course in 15 years. I don’t even own a set of clubs. As we worked our way onto the back 9, one of the guys asked me what the hardest part of our business was…
I’ll admit that as much as I love business, the grind, the journey, the growth, it’s not easy. Not even close. Unhappy customers, unreal/unmet expectations, huge workload, slow workload, you name it. Business isn’t easy, it’s flipping hard. So, what’s the hardest part of this hard journey called business?
Easy, people. People are the hardest part of business. There’s even a saying for that, “Business is easy until people get involved.” Right? Building a website is easy if you can design and build it however you want. Shooting a video is easy if people don’t have to remember their lines.
As J2 grows, we’re dealing with a lot in the people department. Hiring new team members, seeing current team members move on to a new adventure, and all the in-between. I’m a naturally care-free guy. I default to an unstructured, figure it out as you go, we’ll adjust as needed, mentality. I’m quickly learning that not many people are like me. We’re working on building structure in the people department as we go. I know it’s needed.
The real thing I’m learning/remembering is that people are not only the hardest part of business, they’re the most important part. Without people, there is no business. There are no customers, no team members, nothing. Creating a strong culture is about people. Paychecks and benefits are about people. Customer service is about people. Leadership is about people. It’s all about people.
It’s all about people.