Have you ever thought about how the art of a single individual has touched the world? Even changed the world? One person can have that big of an impact.
It’s easy to look around at our immediate surroundings and the people close to us and see that yes, we effect the lives of many people. Do we always see the impact we make on a bigger scale? The reciprocal benefit of words that we say to someone? When we say something to someone just when they need to hear it can change someone’s day? Or when we go the extra step and help someone and they in turn help someone else. One of my favorite things to witness is karma in action on a NYC subway. When a musician plays for money or a needy mom with a babe in arms begs, as soon as one person gives you’ll see many people digging in their pockets. It takes just one person to get the ball rolling. Or a pregnant woman steps on the train and as soon as one person offers a seat everyone re-evaluates who they might offer their seat to. Perhaps an elderly person who was standing. The actions of the one individual trickles down and effects many.
We go about our lives with these little moments sometimes not having any idea how we’re impacting someone else’s day or life. I believe that small business owners have a particular role to play in this. It is through the business and the increased exposure being in business offers that the small business owner can truly make a difference in their community and the world. Isn’t it true that we typically define whether service we receive is good or bad usually by the small businesses around us? To some extent we’ve given up on service with the big companies. We accept the norm and are thrilled when we receive better than usual service. But walking into your local business or having a professional service provider come to your home can change your day. Hopefully in the best possible way.
I know it’s a tall order but one of my objectives as a business coach to small business owners is to change the world one entrepreneur at a time. I support them to serve their clients in a particular way, which enhances the client’s experience, which results in spreading the word, which increases business, which offers the business opportunity to do more, and so on….
One small business in one community. One community in a bigger world. Yes, we are never too small to make a big impact.