Kevin SimpsonCPA Web Books · Founder at CPA Web Books

One Step Back Technique for Fostering Innovation During Recession

14 Apr 2020 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

1:33

In this short monologue, Kevin Simpson (recorded from an empty office while working remotely) introduces the "one step back" technique as a practical strategy for small businesses to innovate and differentiate during a recessionary market. The method involves breaking a service process into its micro‑steps and then examining the step immediately preceding a key customer‑facing action. By identifying what happens just before that step, a business can uncover adjacent offerings—such as a restaurant teaching cooking lessons or supplying raw ingredients—either temporarily or permanently. Simpson illustrates the approach with a restaurant example, outlines how to map the process, and encourages entrepreneurs to explore these micro‑step opportunities. He concludes with a call to visit mikemotorbike.com for more tips and a motivational rallying cry for small‑business owners to act boldly.

Chapters

Walking to work. Right now it's an empty office. It's just me. We've gone remote, but I'm going in so I can do some writing, prepare some videos. But one thing I wanted to share was a concept of one step back. You know, the challenge we're going to have in this market is how to differentiate ourselves and some businesses. Actually, there's one right over there, a restaurant, that restaurant is forced closed down. They can do takeout only. That is, that's really tough on business, and it can put them and other restaurants out. But here's a strategy to differentiate yourself. If you're a restaurant, for example, or you have a gathering point, ask yourself in micro steps what happens right before the end delivery. So right before I put the food on the table for customers, what happens? Well, the food's carried to the customer. All right, write that down. Carried to the customer. So that that's a takeout or delivery offering, potentially, what happens right before. But we prepare the food. Okay, what if you teach lessons on how to prepare the recipes your restaurant's famous for? Well, what happens before that? Well, the food is procured. You have to get the raw materials, the products. Well, why not become a supplier of that? If you can get good meats, you can become a temporary butcher, stuff like that. So do the one step back technique. Here's my building over there, the gray space. Do the one step back technique, meaning go in micro steps back in your process. And now that can become potentially a new offering, temporarily or permanently. For more tips like this, go to mikemotorbike.com and if you're a small business, remember this. It's time to stand up, step forward, kick ass.