Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?

I’ve got that silly song stuck in my head today. ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?’ over and over again.

It’s not about whether I should stay or go – I’m thinking about the important decisions that so many people are making in their businesses all the time.

Like Tara Crooks and her decision to sell Advertising Moms. To me by the way ;)

Tara has been dual focused with her business activities for about a year and a half now.  I don’t just mean that she has been running two businesses – I mean she has been reaching out to two entirely different target markets.  On one hand she has been serving the WAHM Community and on the other hand she has been serving the Military Community.

You can only manage two worlds for so long and do it very well.  Tara found that more and more of her passion and vision were focused on Army Wife Talk Radio and the related Field Problems column and less and less of her time was left over for other things.

She made a very wise decision to pick one single focus and move towards it with all of her time and energy.

I wish that more people had the ability to do that.  It is so hard for some to pick a target market, define a purpose for their business, go for it and stick with it.  I watch them pick up one thing after another and slowly drop one thing after another along the way – always striving, always wondering when they’re going to make some real money.

I realized something today.  Some will never make a good living as a business owner.  They are perpetual students.  They’re job is to ask questions and get advice and learn something new but never really apply it.

They feel like they’re doing something.  Most of them do build websites and start to grow mailing lists.  But long before that project has a chance to bear any real fruit, they’re off on some new thing.

When you ask them about the old project they say something like ‘Oh I tried that but it didn’t work.’

Bologna.  They didn’t try.  The started and that’s about it.

I have a sick feeling in my stomach today just thinking about how much time and money these lifelong students pour into their pursuits.  At least half of the ill feelings comes in realizing they’ve spent some of their family’s money with me. 

They’ve bought my information products.  They’ve spent money on my advertising.  They’ve hired me to coach them.

I’ve always thought that the willingness to spend money on a business is a sure sign that the person is serious about it and that they will be so much more apt to really learn and apply.  And this is true – but definitely not an absolute. 

All the money in the world won’t change a character flaw.

What? A character flaw?  You’re going too far now Kelly McCausey!

No I’m not.  If a man had a gambling problem and regularly loses the grocery money on lottery tickets and card games – you would say he has a character flaw.

If a woman blows her husbands paychecks at the mall week after week when the house payment is late, you would say she has a character flaw.

I think throwing money into a ‘business habit’ is just as much a flaw as any other. 

Irresponsibility is irresponsibility.

I love my work.  I am proud of the show, my products and my coaching.  I believe in the ideal of a mother being able to stay at home with her children and still contribute to the family income if she wants to. 

But I don’t want you spending a penny with me unless you’re serious about it. 

If you will only listen, nod your head and play half heartedly at application then give up – please keep your money.  Put it in the bank and let it earn interest for pete’s sakes.