Do Your Keys Fit Your Car?

Hey, everybody. Welcome back. I'm Kenny Chapman, the blue collar coach coming to you with this week's video version of Freedom Friday Focus. And this week we're talking a little bit about business models. And I just want you to picture a scenario really quick. You get the direct mail piece in the mail and there's a little key attached to it. And some car lot that's in your local market says, this Saturday only, bring this key down for your chance to open up the key and start the car that we' giving away and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So you take that key down there. But actually they made a mistake and it doesn't really fit any of the cars that are down there. So you wander the lot and you go back and forth and back and forth. Maybe it opens something or doesn't. Now, we all know that car keys have to have certain things that open them. Today we've moved into the computer age. I talk about it in the written column where, you know, things. Heck, nowadays I can start or open my car from one of these devices. I mean, so there has to be something it's speaking to that makes it work to start the car. I'm not an automobile guru. I'm a business guy. And here's what I know. If we would take as much time, effort, energy in finding the right key to unlock the right business model, no different than we do a set of car keys, really good things would happen. I've got a lot of clients killing it all across the nation right now. You know, we're into AC season for my air conditioning clients. And unfortunately, there's been some terrible tragedies around the country that have created a lot of work for other clients and this and that. Now, those aren't business models to build yourselves on. One of the great things, one of my favorite sayings that one of my clients says, he says anybody can make money when it's hot. Winners make money when shoulder season hits. And so we think about those things. Another friend of mine that's also a consultant in this industry, we talk about the fact that businesses are ruined when it's busy, not when it's slow. Because now when we're all really grinding and really busy, different things seem to happen. What I want you to think about this week, what I encourage you to reflect on this weekend, is your very own business model. Is it serving you? Are the tools, the keys, the training that you're using designed for that particular model? There's a lot of ways you can make money. This morning, Christy and I Had a bike ride. We got home late last night from a client visit on site, and we want to take a bike ride first thing this morning. So we get out before it gets too hot, and we go take a ride around. And across the street from me, I see an old panel van, no signs on it. Couple of guys get out, look terrible, this and that. It looks like they're there to work on their evaporative cooler. Because, yes, in our market here, believe it or not, we are still playing this stupid game of evaporative cooling that a lot of our competitors seem to want to continue to perpetuate. Now, that's not about us. It's not about our market. I'm saying that's not a part of our business model that serves us and what we want to do. So we choose to have a different key to unlock a different car. What about you? What are some things that you have? My first car was a 1978 Chevy Chevette, and I could not get anywhere inside my current car today if I still had those keys. What about you and your business model? Are you using your first car's keys to try to unlock today's relevant business model? Think about that. And what do we need to change? What do we need to train on? What do we need to improve? How can we find the right set of keys for the right car, which is your business model that takes you where you want to go based on your goals and dreams. I'm Kenny Chapman, the blue collar coach. Until we talk again, have a better than fantastic week and I'll see you next time.