Helping Businesses Succeed
Tempe, like most cities, thrives off of small businesses. They help to bring in revenue, and bring the community together as a whole in supporting local business owners. Margo Crawford speaks out on setting goals that work, and how to succeed in starting your own small business. As the city aims to provide services for small business owners, Crawford steps in to help those who find it difficult to get on the right path to success.
Crawford taught one group of individuals one evening all about setting goals that are S.M.A.R.T. — ones that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. A group of nine individuals attended Crawford’s discussion on how to achieve your goals, and the majority of those in attendance claimed to be struggling in a business-related area. Some were trying to get their business off the ground, while one individual was simply trying to find out how to balance her business and her household. Crawford spoke about not only setting the right goals, but also doing what is needed to attain them.
According to Crawford, 8 percent of individuals who write down their goals actually achieve them, and about 65 percent abandon their goals within the first month. She pushes individuals to set goals that excite them, and ones that will bring them the most success in the future. Crawford claims that people often set goals that are out of their reach, and by setting goals that people often set goals that are out of their reach, and by setting goals that are so high, it is easier to get discouraged. In accordance with S.M.A.R.T. goals, she also believes in setting ones that are C.L.E.A.R. — collaborative, limited and emotionally connected, and ones that require you to take action, and that can be re-evaluated. She discussed the importance of reviewing and re-evaluating your goals after setting them to make sure they are achievable, and to ensure that you are taking the right steps in accomplishing them.
Small businesses require much more than just an idea. In order for individuals to succeed in owning a small business, they must take action with the goals they have in place. Crawford believes that by setting even smaller goals, you are laying the groundwork for achieving larger ones. Crawford achieved her own goal of starting a business, Wave Productivity, and has been helping individuals set their own business goals for the past 13 years. She seeks out her own jobs, and has developed a large client base since she began her company. Not only does she help others in setting goals that work for their own business ventures, Crawford serves as an example of being able to succeed in owning your own business.
Two of the individuals who listened to Crawford speak out have faced their own obstacles in starting a small business. Amira Ahmad, a young hopeful wanting to succeed in the business world, “not setting attainable goals” has been one of her biggest challenges, along with “getting motivated.” She believes many of her problems stem from not actually writing her goals down, and just being lazy.
Kevin Mengus, Ahmad’s companion, hopes that the advice given to him by Crawford will be useful to him in his future business endeavors. Ahmad and Mengus are trying to start their own business, but “actually sticking to your goals” is harder than it seems, Mengus said. Both individuals plan on yielding Crawford’s advice in setting realistic goals, ones that branch out one or two years in their future. Mengus says he wants to be part of the 10 percent of individuals that Crawford claims actually accomplish their goals down the road.
Owning a small business may be a more difficult goal to reach for some, but Crawford has set out to help as many individuals as she can in achieving the same dream she had 13 years ago. Crawford believes that you should look to someone to help you achieve your own goals, and having someone as inspiration often leads to a more successful business. She wants people to believe that their goals are possible, and by believing that you can achieve your dream, you are one step closer in thriving in your own small business.
Article written by Alyssa Hesketh is a junior at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University for the Tempe East Valley Tribune.
Margo Crawford is a Productivity Coach and Professional Organizer with Wave Productivity. She works with entrepreneurs, small business owners and business professionals to help them get more focused, organized and productive in their workplace. She coaches nationally by phone and in person in Phoenix, Providence and Boston. If you want to get more organized in your office call 602-677-8275 or email [email protected].