Ideas are everywhere

When you’re in “the zone” (the business zone that is) business lessons abound as you go through your everyday life.

The horrid service you receive at a hotel reception should signal something to you that you wouldn’t want repeated in your business, or perhaps a procedure you need to implement.

The awesome service you get from your local barista could show you a way to make your first point of contact with a client sparkle.

A fabulous website you see mentioned on Twitter should scream at you “do something in this vein on your site”.

The dodgy post you see someone make about their boss on Facebook could be a lesson on what you don’t want your staff saying about you in public.

Every frustration, cringe and annoyance can signal an opportunity. Every awesome moment can signal something to tweak and implement yourself.

When was the last time you saw something out in the wild world and made a note to work it into your business?

PS. This can stretch a little too far, as it did for me one recent night while I was watching Sweeny Todd (the Tim Burton / Johnny Depp film). I had to admonish myself for marvelling at the complementary marketing / strategic alliances between the pie shop and the barbers while all the while wondering how Sweeny Todd got any repeat and referral business when he kept slaughtering his clients… oh dear!

Kirsty Dunphey is the youngest ever Australian Telstra Young Business Woman of the Year, author of two books (her latest release is Retired at 27, If I Can do it Anyone Can) and a passionate entrepreneur who started her first business at age 15 and opened her own real estate agency at 21. Now Kirsty does lots of fun things which you can read about here. Her favourite current projects are Elephant Property, a boutique property management agency, Baby Teresa, a baby clothing line that donates an outfit to a baby in need for each one they sell and ReallySold, which helps real estate agents stop writing boring, uninteresting ads.