From Paint Drying to Progress: Reviving a Town with the Power of Business Growth

This past weekend, I took a jaunt back to my old childhood stomping grounds, a town where time itself seemed allergic to change. This place was like a revolving door for businesses— they would pop up, blink, and poof, gone! Dining options? Well, if you had an insatiable craving for tex-mex or the occasional craving for spaghetti, you were golden. Beyond that, let's just say the culinary scene wasn't exactly Michelin star rated! The sense of community was limited to a few churches and just as many dive bars (before dive bars were cute).

Back then, the inertia of my hometown was as exciting as watching paint dry, which is precisely why I packed my bags the day I graduated High School to globe-trot and broaden my horizons. Now, I realize, my humble little town is stretching its legs too. It's buzzing with fresh businesses setting up shop, as if someone hit the town with a jumbo can of revitalizing energy drink. The sight of new parks springing up and a stronger community spirit brewing is vastly different than it had been in the past.

The Baker Hotel

On weekend nights, you can catch some live music at 76067 Cocktails. There are multiple restaurants that I sometimes crave enough to make the 1 1/2-hour drive. Amazing artwork has replaced drab paint on dilapidated brick walls. You can find Crazy Water bottled in distribution in Sprouts, H-E-B, and other stores around the state. The Baker Hotel is actually getting remodeled and slated to open soon, while the Crazy Water Hotel is already a destination hotel for travelers and weddings. Quite the glow up, wouldn’t you say?

As I sat in one of the mom-and-pop donut shops for breakfast one of those mornings, discussing with my wife some of the strategies I was planning for my own business, we were approached by the woman who served us. Turned out she was the owner. She told us that she's found a lot of success in Mineral Wells and is planning to scale to other areas in the county. As she plans out these next steps, she knows that what made her successful in one location won't necessarily work for multiple locations. She can't be the one to unlock the door each morning in 2 or 3 places! As she thought about this, she realized that there are gaps in her ideas. Something's missing. She doesn't know what she doesn't know.

Overhearing our discussion made her curious. I told her what our company does and ran out to the truck where I have a few "emergency copies" of Frameworks for Business Success. I told her how great it was that she was continuously planning and thinking strategically. As we all know, if you're not growing, you're dying! I truly hope that it helps her formulate her plan for growth in Palo Pinto County.

Strategic Cycle

The final quarter of the year is traditionally the period when companies buckle down and fine-tune their strategies. Yet, it's also a festive season brimming with holidays, vacations, and corporate celebrations. Balancing both can be a tightrope walk. So, it's crucial to seize the initiative now, in the third quarter, to huddle with your advisors and sketch your blueprint for the upcoming year.

Once you have a feasible strategy in hand, the next step is to assemble an actionable plan. This plan provides a detailed roadmap of how to achieve your goals effectively. It aligns the team towards a common objective and ensures that everyone knows their role in the bigger picture. Think of it like baking donuts - the strategy is the types of donuts you choose, while the actionable plan is the step-by-step process of making the delicious donuts.

In developing your strategy, you need to consider what will bring you success. What ingredients will give you the best ROI? What limitations do your kitchen or staff have? What tastes are trending with your customers? Perhaps your strategy to grow is to purchase a new donut machine.

Your action plan would be how you are going to acquire that machine and get it to making donuts as efficiently as possible. Maybe your kitchen needs other upgrades for this machine, such as power or increased ventilation. You might need a business loan to purchase this machine. Are your accounting books organized and show a picture of your increasing performance so that it's attractive to a loan officer? Does your staff have the competency and bandwidth to learn how to use this machine? How will you make sure that they can begin producing with this machine the day it's installed?

There's a lot that goes into formulating a strategy and a workable plan. It's important to remember that you don't have to go it alone. Having an experienced business advisor as part of your team can make all the difference, ensuring that both the strategy and action plan are optimized for maximum success. Having a team of advisors with diverse experiences and business disciplines is even better. If you'd like to know more about how Frameworks Consortium's fractional C-Suite can help, reach out to us. Or, if you're more of a DIY'er, check out my book, Frameworks for Business Success.

Live Fully Love Deeply

I take immense pride in observing the transformation and growth of my birthplace, and the relentless efforts of those who are painting this town with new colors. Yet, there lurks a tinge of regret at not having played a more significant role in this revitalization of the community that raised me. It brings me joy that I was able to help at least one entrepreneur navigate the waters of business growth.

The next time you’ve got the need for a weekend excursion, visit Mineral Wells, Texas. You'll find a vibrant community, good food, and a spirit of growth that will give life to your soul.