Devoted to small businesses and those who run them

Hi Yvonne,

I like the information you have posted and I'm picking up a lot of good business tips. Thanks. Roy

Yvonne, I love the analogy and my gosh it is so true! When I was younger I thought it was adventurous and romantic (blame Hemingway) and dreamed of running with the bulls. Now, when I see it on the television, I am horrified and also wonder how more people are not harmed. I suppose that same perspective has carried over to business. I would rather plan my attack carefully than to go screaming down the street hoping to God I don't get gored. :-)

Hi Roy
Thanks for stopping by and for your positive feedback. Pleased you're finding the articles useful.

Let me know if there are specific topics you'd like to see covered.

Hi Karen
Yes, even those who consider themselves good runners wouldn't always be protected against the unpredictable. A little planning never goes astray.

Learning from your mistakes in running with the bulls and in business are often tough lessons.

And perhaps the same motivation (machismo) is to blame? Hemingway wasn't backward in the machismo stakes either.

I like the idea of running with the sheep! And yet there are dangers in all these ... perhaps the danger of running with the sheep is that you would end up being a 'me too' business?

What about the other mad races that go on, like the cheese rolling that happens here in the UK, or the wife-carrying races from Finland? Perhaps with cheese rolling, you could end up with difficulties from the sheer momentum of your business (not able to change direction quickly)? And with wife-carrying, the issue is one of the ratio of effort to prize - the heavier the wife, the bigger the prize (because you win her weight in beer), but the more difficult it is to achieve it.

Now see what you've done - sparked all sorts of thoughts!

Hi Yvonne,

I've been more of a "plan everything type of entrepreneur" & found that sometimes just diving in makes sense too.
I guess this has to do with personality type.

Which is why, the best bet would be have a mix of personality type in your business or at least a master mind group to keep the analyst going and the feeling type personality slow down & plan a bit more.

@ Evan - I think you may have hit on something there.

@ Lucy - More great business analogies. Now you have me thinking too. ;)

@ James - I'm a Myers Briggs trainer, so I agree totally about a blend of strengths and personality types in a business. And even for a solopreneur, as you say, a blend of approaches and perspectives is important. Flexibility and being open minded and proactive are key.

Don't underestimate the impact of a wild and irate sheep running amok in the town, Yvonne. Scary.

Great post. I'm glad to see New Orleans coming out with new traditions that get people back out and together again. Big Easy Roller Derby Girls looks like so much fun. We may have to go down for it next year.

As far as running in front of a bunch of crazed bulls, no thanks. But girls on roller blades? Not so risky! And running of the sheep? I think the humans would win if the road passes any grass at all.

Sherri

Hi Sherri
Yes, it's great to see the spirit of the people in New Orleans. Sounds like fun.