What's your game changer? Here's mine.

What is surprising is that this whole vision for the business has existed since day one and documented as such. The problem is that when you grow a business, and dabble in fulfilling your business plan, but unexpected challenges arise - what do you do? Well, if you aren't that experienced at the time, you drop everything, fix the problem and then try and dabble back into what you were trying to do before you became disturbed.

What is a game changer?

According to Investopedia.com it is a company that alters its business strategy and conceives an entirely new business plan. This type of company switches up and forms a new business strategy in order to compete directly or indirectly with competitors. A game changer changes the way that something is done, thought about or made.

Marketing Eye's expansion is a game-changer. It has the potential to turn the business into a $100 million business in 5 years. Big vision - I agree, but completely do-able. You can tell I am an entrepreneur - I believe that anything is possible. 

I am less adhoc and more strategic in my approach and this I have learned from years of teaching clients that "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail". It's a discipline that keeps me in good stead and ensures that the direction of the business is always front of mine and when an unexpected challenge occurs, it allows the company to work out a sensible plan to solve the challenge and move forward.

Growing a business isn't easy.

It's is damn hard! Sometimes I just sit at my desk and sigh. Couldn't I have found an easier job, one that just pays well and that I enjoy. But no. I didn't. At 25 years old, I chose to follow the millions of other entrepreneurs before me and start a business, then another and now I can't stop thinking of what other businesses I could open - if only I had the time.

An entrepreneur was born - I suppose.

Some say that entrepreneurs are born that way. I disagree. Talking to my lovely Mother the other day, I asked her if she ever thought I would be doing what I do today. She said," No, you didn't seem interested in too much at all other than one day growing up and getting married." Gosh, did I go in a different direction.

I was always inspired by people who had achieved something and in my teens and twenties, I had two long term relationships, both with elite athletes. I realised that I perhaps chose them and stayed with them for so long because I admired them and I learnt from them. They taught me how to have a goal and how to achieve it. When something goes wrong, they taught me to pick myself up and try 10 times harder. Entrepreneurs can learn a lot from athletes and their mindsets, because if all business owners treated their lives like athletes, there would be more successful businesses out there.

In the Wall Street Journal recently, there was a full page advertisement which I shared on my blog about why someone would start a business in New York. It inspired me no-end. 50,000 people started a new business in New York last year. Phenomenal. 

It occured to me that only 31% of those would survive seven years and less than half would make it to five years.

Perhaps it was sensible to have waited until now to implement Marketing Eye's "game changer". Maybe with that bit of experience and a few knocks here and there, it will make for a more robust business in the US market and a better business in Europe when we open later this year.

The investment has been high, but the determination of myself and the very talented team behind me has never been stronger. 

Here's to "GAME CHANGERS" - THE WAY FORWARD FOR ANY ENTREPRENEUR.