And so as I am in week 6 as a “boss lady” its been a challenge trying mix and match with all the other bridal shops that are in my town. Some of these businesses have been around for 10years or more and are established and prosperous,making them a force to be reckoned with. The fact that they are so successful made me tempted to copy their ways and styles hoping that maybe I could be just like them in a few years.However in my attempts to mix and match the other bridal shops, I realised that I was selling myself short and instead of trying to be like every other business I should be me, Tarisai Tara, and that’s what would make my brand sell. I had to make my shop a first rate version of me and not am imitation of A or B….And so my journey to Wall Street continues, one day at a time…and if i experience a little drama and detours along the way..ah well..that’s life.
We all dream of being owners of multimillion dollar empires & conglomerates, but not all of us have the zeal, consistence or persistence that it takes to go beyond just dreaming.
What does it really take to go from rags to riches, is it luck, a large capital injection, voodoo or are some just destined to fail whilst some were born to be great?
Whether you are thinking of starting a business, own a business or manage a company, take time out to meditate on this article and distinguish your business for a competitive advantage.
Today let’s take a look at an important word: DIFFERENTIATION
What is the competitive advantage, or area of excellence that differentiates your company from its competitors? Are you able to explain your differentiator in a clear and simple way in less than twenty-five words & without hesitation. Can you be absolutely clear on what separates your product or service from your competitors?
This is a critical success factor in determining whether or not your company will excel and get you to No.1 in your area of operation.
Let me share with you a little story from Judges 3:14-26 (note the power of differentiation)
14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15 But when the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left handed: and by him the children of Israel sent a present to Eglon the king of Moab.
16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; & he did gird it under his raiment on his right thigh.
21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
(Take time to read the whole story so as to get a more vivid picture of what took place)
Ehud was an ordinary civilian just like you and me, whose only distinguishing feature was actually at the time considered a weakness & most probably made him a laughing stock in society, he was left handed. However it was his so called “weakness” that ultimately differentiated him for a competitive advantage when he went to kill Eglon, the king of Moab. As per the manners and customs of the biblical times a sword was placed on the left thigh so that the bearer could draw it out easily with his right hand, in the case of Ehud however his sword was upon his right thigh, because he was left-handed. Thus when Ehud went to see the king the guards probably just checked his left side for weapons and overlooked the fact that he could be LEFT-HANDED. Resultantly he single handedly won the children of Israel their freedom, not by imitating those society deem perfect but by embracing that which makes him unique.
WHATEVER BUSINESS YOU ARE IN, TURN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES TO YOUR ADVANTAGE, THEY ARE WHAT DIFFERENTIATE YOU FROM THE NEXT BUSINESS AND MAKE YOU A CANDIDATE FOR SUCCESS!!
Till next time…Express Yourself!!
