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There are very few businesses that you could start and no one else has ever tried to do the same thing before in the world.
Also, there are very few experiences in a business that will come your way and no one has ever encountered them before.
Therefore, as a business owner, your business is probably not as new as you think, and neither are your experiences.
For this reason, as a business owner, you should spend time learning from case studies of similar businesses as well as from other entrepreneurs.
I have been told that many people do not like to talk about their businesses.
While talking to a bank branch manager sometimes back, I asked him what he thought was a good business line, going by what he gathered from his customers.
I was surprised when he told me that most business account holders who frequent his office were usually tight-lipped about their work and how they run their businesses.
It is sad that we are a closed society when it comes to sharing the good and the bad of business.
Thinking about the many successful billionaire businessmen in Kenya who are frequently quoted in the media. I have hardly seen any of them share their experiences or even have books or articles written about their way to success with the aim of sharing with others who are looking for business success.
EMBRACE THE INTERNET
Although we are not such an information-generous community, business people have very few excuses in terms of trying to see what works for others due to the loads of business success information available online.
If you are in business and you still think that the internet is a place for young people or those in the more “digital” corporates, quit marginalising yourself.
Embrace the internet as one of the most resourceful business learning platforms you can ever have.
If you have not already invested in some form of internet connection, either via your mobile devices or office infrastructure, consider doing so.
I view the internet as the best place to find business case studies for anything I want to do.
It is a resource where you will not only find information but also communities of business experts and people who are willing to share their experiences and what they do.
There are many forums where you can find business success information to grow your enterprise, solve problems, or even get comfort that business success is not given but the result of good focus and taking lessons from challenges.
If you are in business or are just starting one, remember that many people have been through what you are trying to do.
Talk to those you know and, as much as possible, make reference to the internet, where millions of business owners and experts have shared their wealth of knowledge.
The author is the CEO/Founder of Openworld Limited. Email: muthoni@openworld.co.ke
