When I'm still in the small stage (A lesson from a barber)

This morning, I went out of my way to visit my regular barber who had just moved to a new location. I didn't even get a notification about the move, but I still made the effort to find him.

Why? Because I realized that I (as a customer) return not necessarily because of heavy advertising or a fancy storefront, but because of the value and the feeling that the barber himself provides.

Sitting and talking with him for a while, I heard a lot about the pressures of building a business out of passion. He has the passion. He has excellent skills. But... his staff still rely on him way too much, and his clients only want him to do their hair. He is stuck in his own business.

Coincidentally, later on, I met another guy running a much larger salon model. What I learned from him is: When a business grows, the owner has to start looking at everything through systems (finance, HR, processes) rather than emotions. At this point, just being "good at your craft" is no longer enough.

These two conversations gave me a new perspective:

In this day and age, small businesses will easily burn out if they try to chase the model of big corporations.

Those who came before had to trade a lot of money, many hard lessons, and years of experience to build their systems. As for those of us still in the small stage, maybe we need to learn how to:

• Slow down a bit.

• Understand our true value better.

• Focus on serving our current clients better instead of trying to expand too fast.

What made me think the most is the difference in "Value Logic" across different professions.

For example, with hair styling, customers usually return because of their dependence on the skills and the feeling they get from that specific stylist.

But with my Fitness Coaching business, I realized my goal isn't to make clients dependent on me, but to help them:

• Understand their bodies better.

• Become more independent and confident.

• Be able to walk confidently into the gym even when their Coach isn't around.

A sustainable business isn't just about how long you keep a client, but about how much you've helped them grow during that journey.

And the hardest part of building a business isn't figuring out how to grow faster...

It's: How to maintain your core values, your mental health, and the reason you started your craft in the very beginning.

What stage are you at in your business journey right now?

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