Читать книгу Small Business Revolution - Barry C. McCarthy - Страница 31

There is one other decision you must make. As I've already mentioned, it's been very common for business owners we feature on SBR to not be taking a salary. That fact emerges after a painful discussion of the financials. But usually there's more pain to be seen in the episodes, in the form of a candid review of what options are open to the owner in order to be able to draw a salary from the business.

You can see their reluctance to charge more. It's like they're willing to continue to endure the long days and short bank balances. After all, many customers are friends, and they're often doing financially worse than the owner. The Deluxe team frequently needs to drive home the point that this “business flight” is airborne and about to run out of gas, due either to no funds, no life integration, ruined health, or some combination of these.

That's where the business owner needs to remember the safety briefing we've all heard a hundred times on airplanes. You need to put your mask on first, before helping loved ones. Why? To be selfish? No, it's so you'll be able to help others, not be slumped unconscious in your seat.

Your customers will understand if you need to put your mask on first and charge an extra dollar for that food item or service. A few won't get it, of course. But all of your customers will be worse off if the “Closed” sign on your front door one day never gets moved to “Open.”

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In the next chapter, we talk about critical numbers and financials.