Starting any business is an extremely difficult endeavor. No matter what, there is an inherent risk involved. There’s equipment to invest in, techniques to learn, marketing to do, an ever-increasing amount of research to delve into and more. No matter how prepared you may be, there’s always an unforeseen issue lurking in the distance or an unexpected complication around the corner.
This is why, more than anything, composure is a business owner’s most valuable asset. Keeping your cool, especially in an industry like signage, is one of the smartest things you can do. I’ve spoken to a sign shop owner who had an unsavory employee slowly syphon hundreds of thousands of dollars away from them over a decade-long heist. Others who’ve had to battle the classic unruly client with class while being enticed to fight dirty. Unpaid invoices from contractors, issues between employees, accidents on the road, ordinances broken. They all open the door to stress and the possibility of losing your composure.
All the successful shop owners I’ve spoken to always resist the urge to snap and tend to keep their cool. You have to keep a level head amongst the chaos, because your reputation, your family’s income and your employee’s wellbeing depend on it. So, how are you supposed to maintain a composed stance amongst all the chaos of sign shop ownership?
If I knew the answer to that question, I’d definitely tell you! Thankfully, there are some tips out there for keeping your composure that simply must be read. Let’s start with one from the Greek philosopher Aristotle. He once said, “The beauty of the soul shines out when a person bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because they do not feel them, but because they are a person of high and heroic temper.”
You never really regret keeping your composure in an unfortunate instance, but you almost always regret reacting aggressively or with a short temper. There is a beauty in coming out of a situation where it felt like the odds were stacked against you standing tall and remaining largely unblemished. Whether it’s replying to a poor online review with manners, handling a fight between employees or going after an unpaid invoice, a composed response is honorable.
Legendary Canadian hockey player Bobby Hull once said, “Always keep your composure. You can’t score from the penalty box; and to win, you have to score.” It’s a very succinct and simple piece of advice, but it’s quite poignant. Only by losing your cool can you be forcibly removed from a situation, but if you maintain your composure you can stay on the proverbial playing surface and still have a chance to score.
Lastly, we have this simple statement from former Formula One racing star Michael Schumacher: “Losing composure is pointless.” It’s a valuable statement because it causes one to realize that there isn’t any point to losing composure. There isn’t a tangible benefit to point to and it always ends up adding various problematic elements to an already stressful scenario.
So, the next time you’re hanging on by a thread after a long day in the shop, the kids asking for homework help and an unpaid invoice lingering in the back of your mind, just remember you don’t gain anything from losing your composure!
