I love when our house is full of family and friends. My wife, Sheri, on the other hand, tends to be a little apprehensive about preparations because there are so many things to do before guests arrive. I know there are things to do ahead of time, but I’m more focused on simply having guests. The preparations don’t bog me down.
The recent Concrete Decor Show had some of these same characteristics. We spent a year getting ready, but the effort was well worth it. I met new people, learned from them, discovered new products and watched experts in action. I also listened to presentations about running a business, making more money and using social platforms. Furthermore, I even got to spend time hearing how the show helped people in a way I never considered. Best of all, I made new friends.
What I feel compelled to share is I wouldn’t have experienced any of these benefits if I had stayed home. I know I personally didn’t really have a choice, but if I had stayed home, my life wouldn’t have improved. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to get all pumped up about my industry, again! It all happened because I went.
Some may argue but I still believe business doesn’t happen by itself. We’ve got to put our minds and bodies into motion for things to change or improve. It just doesn’t happen any other way.
I assume most of you reading Concrete Decor are business owners, so you know self-motivation doesn’t always come easy. We’re constantly pushing and pulling things, so often when time frees up we just want to chill. As business owners, however, it’s imperative to structure the hours of our days, weeks and months — including “chill” time — appropriately to ensure we get everything accomplished while taking care of ourselves.
As I’ve shared before, decorative concrete is a technical trade. We should get paid for doing professional quality work, but we must also remember that being a professional requires an ongoing investment of our time and resources to attend events where we can recharge, unclutter and reset our sights. I don’t believe there’s a better place to do this than at a show like ours. Investing in industry events is an investment in you and your business.
