How is your business adding value to the industry you are part of ? What are you doing that is fundamentally different, or superior to what your competitors are doing? These are questions that all business owners should be asking themselves, on a regular basis. Way too many businesses are created without clearly thinking through how they plan to create sustained value for their customers. If the focus remains on just making money, there are many easier ways to do that rather than to own a business.

Thinking about starting your own business? Focus on how you will create value for each one of your target customers. What can you do to improve the current processes prevalent in your industry? Does your product/service solve a particular type of problem in the market place that has no viable solution currently?

If you cannot come up with a good reason why your business exists….it may be time to close the laptop, disconnect the phones, take out a pad and pencil and figure out what you want to accomplish, and whether this business is the correct vehicle to reach those goals.