Bright Shiny Object or Business Solidifying Opportunity? 3 Steps Every Small Business Must Follow to Vet an Opportunity

Believe it or not, you’re not alone.  Most people spend way too much time getting caught by the bright shiny objects that appear to help them grow their business but really just cause confusion and delay results. The truth is, a business solidifying opportunity looks much like a bright shiny object at the onset of the discovery.

And, just so we’re clear.  I used to get caught up too.  I’m a big visionary which means I am not into the details, which means I get easily sidetracked, which means if I’m not careful the BSO Syndrome will steal a few hours of my day.  But once I got clear on my goals and reminded myself of why I’m doing what I do, I started to turn bright shiny objects into business solidifying opportunities.

While DeKesha is not asserting that she suffers from the bright shiny object syndrome, I do believe that she’s close to it if she doesn’t get clear and take heed of what a business solidifying opportunity really looks like.  Read her question, which I answer in this week’s episode of Incredible Factor TV:

“Hi Darnyelle. What do you do when you’re pulled in so many directions that you begin to feel as though you’re not productive?  Trying to attend networking events, accommodate new relationships with meeting or calls (that ultimately want to just pick your brain) and creating relationships with true clients looking to grow their business and online presence?”  

Watch my response to DeKesha’s question in this week’s episode of Incredible Factor TV:

As I share in the episode, at the end of the day, it boils down to this – always be thinking about your end goal.  As the late Stephen Covey would say, “Begin with the End in Mind.”  What this covey-ism means is that at all times, you need to be prepared to ask yourself, “is what I am doing RIGHT NOW getting me closer to my monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual goal?”  And, more importantly, you have to know what the goal is.  When you begin with the end in mind, you’ll quickly turn bright shiny objects into business solidifying opportunities.

It’s easy to get sidetracked when the goal is unclear.  But when you are crystal clear, you can always refer back to the goal.  It will keep you from EVERYTHING that is NOT about the goal.  Here are a few steps you can engage to quickly evaluate an opportunity to determine if now is the time and if the opportunity is aligned with your goals.

1. Never agree to anything without a goal review.  You wouldn’t just hand someone your hard earned money without understanding what they want it for, right?  So why would you hand someone your business building time without a clear understanding of what it’s going to do to create a true win/win for all involved?  That can seldom be determined in the initial conversation.  So by giving yourself permission to review and evaluate the opportunity against your goals, you will always make decisions that are for the good of your business as well as the other party.
2. If at any time you realize that you are not acting in accordance with your goal, STOP.  Don’t pass go; don’t collect $200.  Stop, refocus and get back on track.  If this affects someone else, you can simply say, “I’m sorry, I realized that participating in this opportunity doesn’t allow me to achieve my goals at this time and unfortunately, I am going to have to reevaluate my participation.”
3. If the opportunity seems right, develop an internal trial period.  I wouldn’t recommend waiting 90 days after you realize you’re off track to decide to stop.  Try two weeks or 30 days or minimally evaluate it every 30 days to make sure it’s still the right idea for you and your goals. You can decide to share your trial period with the other party or not, it’s totally up to you.  But be sure to have that so that you can catch yourself and get back on track quickly. Be clear at all times so that as soon as the activity goes south you can quickly get back on course toward effective goal achievement.

When any opportunity lands on your desk, follow the process and be quick to stop if it turns out to be a Bright Shiny Object and not a Business Solidifying Opportunity.

Now I want to hear from you, what’s your two cents?:  How do you handle the feeling of being everywhere at once?  What do you do when you’re presented with an opportunity to vet it and ensure that it will peacefully coexist with your current goals and objectives for growing your business?

©2014 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, MBA, The Incredible Factor Speaker, Business Coach and Marketing Mentor, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com, Incredible Factor University® and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System®, a proven step-by-step program for more clients, more income and more leverage in your business. For more information and a FREE audio CD “7 Critical Mistakes Entrepreneurs Must Avoid When Unleashing Your Incredible Factor So You Attract More Clients, Make More Money and Gain More Leverage” just fill out the form below.