One of the biggest mistakes I made earlier in my businesses and my career that I hope that you don’t make.

You won’t be able to stop making mistakes throughout your career and as you grow a business, But you can avoid certain issues that will come to surface as you try to grow yourself professionally. Some people might challenge themselves by taking on a different role in the company. Others will try to grow a side project as they work for a company. And then there will be others who go all in on a business.

All of these are great ways to keep growing and learning throughout your career.

The thing I regret is is not trying certain types of projects that could help me personally and professionally. I let fear get the best of me.

Building Software

So when I have the idea of building software to improve how I was able to help my clients I decided that I couldn’t let fear dictate my choices.

I’m currently working with the developer to create software that will help small business owners create more engagement with their customers and get better feedback.

I looked at all the tools out there and I found most of them fell short and the ones that were close were very expensive. So I saw I need it in the market and I decided to make the leap. To do this was a financial risk and a time crunch for me.

I am working with a very large company on a one year contract, still working with clients, and working on passion project. All of this and finding time to spend time with my two sons and wife.

It’s not easy juggling everything.

What I found is that priorities dictate my success as a father, husband and business owner. I believe if I’m not staying busy and working on projects that get me excited then I am not as happy and not as engaged with the people around me. That’s why living in the present moment for me is so important. When I’m with my family I’m there 100% when I’m working on a project and they are 100% as you can see this isn’t easy but it’s what makes me happy.

So over the next couple months we will be going into beta testing with the software and if anyone is interested please let me know. You’ll have early access to one of the best customer engagement tools out there.

Top Priority

The software will be a monthly subscription-based model and at a price point that and a small business owner can afford. I set it up this way because I felt like so many small business owners weren’t engaging their customers as well as learning how to improve on their customer experience from their customers. This should be a top priority for most small business owners.

Should always look for ways to improve and make the customer happy here in the most crucial ways.

So as you grow your business and career you also have to look at how you find ways to grow personally and professionally. That may mean taking on an extra project that creates a little extra stress in your life, but that also means you’ll be challenging yourself and finding growth in various areas that you never thought possible.

The stories I collect around each project could fill a book.

As you might know I’m working on a software project. The project will help companies collect better feedback from their customers.

I’m doing this because I want to help companies create a better customer experience.

When you understand your customers buying triggers you will be able to deliver more value to them. You’ll find out where things aren’t working and how to improve them. You’ll also find out who really cares about your company.

Closing the Gap

The difference between a customer and fan is huge. Having a lot of fans is the different between an average company and a very successful one.

Customers who are fans keep buying from you and tell their friends about you. It’s this group that need to be cared for and appreciated.

It’s also the passive group of customers that you want to turn into fans.

The customers who are passive need to be shown how much you care. When they see how much you care you’ll be able to turn them into fans.

This is the magic of collecting great customer feedback.

As I work with my programmer we are digging into the final details to make sure everything is working correctly. It’s challenging, but a lot of fun.

I can’t wait to share it with you.

When it’s ready you’ll be the first to know.

Show How Much You Care

Before it’s ready I would like to think about what you do to show your customers how much you care about them.

What do you do to show your customers how much you care?

I’m curious because I’ve notice the companies that not just care, but show that they care are the ones that I like the most. I always look for flights on Southwest first because I like flying with them. They have good prices, but it’s the people that make the experience that much more enjoyable.

That happens because Southwest has a great company culture and are listening to their customers, finding ways to improve on everything that they do. It’s this type of listening that I would like you to do because it will work magic on your sales.