Audrey II: I’m starvin’!
Seymour: Look, maybe I can squeeze a little out of this one.
Audrey II: More, more, more, more, more!
If you’re a business owner or entrepreneur, you can probably relate to clients, employees, even your families needing “more” from you – more time, more attention, more assistance, more money…the list goes on. Some days, it may feel insurmountable or even impossible to cultivate both your professional success and personal happiness.
It like the 80’s musical, Little Shop of Horrors, where Seymour, a nerdy and passionate florist, works with his colleague, Audrey, at Mushnik’s Flower Shop in a run-down New York City neighborhood. Mr. Mushnik is on the brink of closing the shop due to lack of business until Audrey suggests exhibiting one of Seymour’s unusual plants – which he had named “Audrey II” – at the shop to attract customers. The plant starts to wither until Seymour accidentally pricks his finger on it, realizing that it needs human blood to thrive. Audrey II grows quickly and gains a lot of attention from the community. The plant continues growing and becomes increasingly demanding of Seymour for more blood and more attention, leaving him feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and helpless. (There’s more to this story, but for the sake of this blog, let’s stop here).
So, how exactly are EOS and a movie about a bloodthirsty plant from outer space alike? Surprisingly, on many levels! First off, Seymour’s character is representative of most successful business owners and entrepreneurs – full of unbridled passion, field-specific knowledge, and unwavering enthusiasm. Their focus is on the success of their business and a means to get there, such as finding a unique plant that can make them famous almost overnight, leaving them to often overlook potential systemic or structural breakdowns.
Though it may sound counterintuitive, the villain in the story of most entrepreneurs is their own success. Owning and operating a business comes with a unique set of challenges, like not getting to spend as much time with family and friends, having less free time, or ensuring employees and related expenses are paid, to name a few. Businesses, especially successful ones, demand your attention, focus, and care to run smoothly and efficiently; if a company isn’t tended to, its appetite will consume everyone and everything in its path. It’s out for blood!
In real life, when a plant becomes unruly, scraggly, or has gone into hibernation mode, we grab the pruning shears to keep it controlled and thriving…which is like what EOS does with complex or unfocused, yet successful companies. EOS acts as growth system that helps businesses learn to streamline their processes by sharing the entrepreneurial burden across the team in a coordinated way to move to the next level. In other words, it’s about working collaboratively, placing the right people in the right seats, clearly defining roles and responsibilities, and embracing open communication. EOS assists business owners and employees alike by trimming away unnecessary or outdated practices, beliefs, or hindrances to the company’s culture and overall success.
It puts you in more control of the business so growth and complexity won’t eat you alive.
Bottom line: Successful growth doesn’t mean giving up the benefits of business ownership. It’s the combination of controlled growth, focus, and the distribution of accountability that provides real success.
To learn how to control your success monster, visit buffaloculturenow.com or call Jim Wardlaw at (716) 970-4158.
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