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Turn a challenge into an advantage

The trades industry is becoming increasingly challenging. There are increases in material prices, staff shortages, material delays, industry uncertainty, reduced consumer confidence and I could go on! It is certainly not ideal considering we have just battled through two years of a pandemic.

However, as with anything in life there are always going to be challenges. The beauty lies in how we respond. I recently read a quote that said, “Your problems are designed to give you the skills necessary to get to the next level.” So let’s look at how we can make the most out of these uncertain times.

Understand that change is inevitable and use adversity as fuel to launch you into the next level of your business.

Look at ways that you can diversify your business. Perhaps you could introduce another product or service? Another idea is to think outside the box when it comes to employing the right people — could you offer a higher pay rate to secure the right person or target retirees who are looking for part-time work to keep them active? Can you spend time getting creative with your job ads and attract a higher volume of applicants?

Consider outsourcing tasks to reduce your stress levels. When you are so involved in your business, asking for help can be difficult. Sometimes it feels too hard to hand things over and finding a way forward can seem impossible.

In my experience, outsourcing to a professional in the areas of business where you need support can save you so much time and money. Often an external perspective can also help make things clearer and open your eyes to options you might not have even considered.

Nothing ever stays the same — so stay positive and keep evolving. Being flexible and having the ability to not only adapt, but to stay one step ahead, will be key in preparing you for whatever lies ahead.

Most importantly, always keep looking forward!