How To Avoid Shiny Objects
How To Avoid Shiny Objects
What systems help business owners stay on track and succeed?
One of the most important things I’ve learned, both from running a business and through my education, reading, and listening to podcasts, is the value of having systems in place.
The best way to explain this is through an analogy. Imagine you're running across the United States, and you decide to run 10 miles a day, no matter what. If you stick to that plan, you'll reach your goal. But if one day you wake up not feeling well or it’s raining and you decide to skip that day and make up for it by running 20 miles the next day, you’ll fall behind. This mindset can cause you to miss the goal altogether.
I’m an LSU fan and follow football closely, but I think Nick Saban’s success comes from focusing on the next play, not the endgame. He’s not thinking about the win or the championship—he’s focused on the day, the play, the run. If you focus on the small steps and have systems in place, the end result will take care of itself. Of course, things will come up to throw you off track, but the key is knowing how to come back to your systems and keep going. That’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned.
How can business owners avoid chasing too many opportunities?
One thing you'll learn, like raising children, is that you can give advice, but people will make their own mistakes. One of the biggest lessons for me has been chasing "shiny objects." We’ve done this many times across several businesses. There were opportunities that seemed like a perfect fit—easy to add because we already had the infrastructure. For example, we started a waste company, Heritage Waste, thinking it made sense since we were already in construction and paying for waste services.
But adding too much can take your focus and finances away from what you do best. If you spread yourself too thin, your business becomes fractured. Some of the ventures we added didn’t work out, and we had to cut them. Knowing when to walk away is tough, but we usually give it three years before deciding whether to continue.
Another lesson came from a uniform company contract. We didn’t follow the terms correctly, and they sued for breach of contract. While settling might have been cheaper, my pride got involved, and I fought the case. I won, but the legal fees ended up costing as much as the settlement would have. So did I really win? These are pitfalls to watch out for—knowing when to fight and when to settle.
Growing too fast is another challenge. If you don’t have the right processes in place, you lose control. These are the three main lessons I’ve learned: chasing too many opportunities, dealing with contracts, and managing growth. Hopefully, we can continue to improve from these experiences.
Why should business owners build a solid foundation before growing?
In construction, you need a strong base to support growth, and I see business the same way. I tend to be the more conservative one in our business. My husband, who I’m in business with, often comes to me with big growth plans, and I’ll say, "Hold on, let’s talk about how you’re going to make that happen."
We've been doing this for over 20 years, but now we have a general manager in our service industry business. They recently went to a conference, came back fired up, and said, "We're going to grow by over 100%—from $3 million to $7 million." My reaction was the same: "Okay, let's talk about this." It’s not about holding back; it’s about making sure we’re prepared.
First, they need to show me how they're going to do it. Second, they need to convince the team by showing what’s in it for them. If you're going to grow, your team will think, "This is more work—what’s in it for me?" So I told them to paint the picture, prove the plan, and then I’ll support them in that decision.
What are the benefits of attending conferences and networking?
If I had more time, there are so many things I’d love to explore. I really enjoy conferences—they offer so much value and great networking opportunities. There are so many organizations, like women in business groups, that I’d love to get involved with. Maybe I will at some point. Right now, I’m working more in and on the business than I’d like, but I hope to get to a place where I can be more involved in those areas.
These events also lead to more mentoring and connecting with people who have been in your shoes. It’s so much fun when we go to dinner with other business owners and share stories about the challenges we’ve faced. Someone always says, “Let me tell you, I’ve been there,” and we swap stories about the tough times. Funny enough, those hard times often turn into highlights because they show how far we’ve come and what we’ve learned.
I really enjoy connecting with people who are going through the same things we are. It’s encouraging to share those experiences.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
