The best solution is useless if there’s no problem

Assess the nails before you choose a hammer

You’ve probably heard some version of the old tradesman parable about “knowing where to tap” (or “knowin’ whe to pong!” as we say in Trinidad).

The moral of the story nudges us to consider the expert’s experience and to appreciate value-based pricing, as opposed to pricing by time.

Today, our virtual world is saturated with gurus, consultants and specialists, many of whom are self-acclaimed. It’s fun to hone a craft that you love, and it’s commendable to become certified in a field that you’re passionate about. It’s equally disheartening to discover that your target market is adequately served, or worse yet, that there’s little or no demand for what your profession has to offer. That’s when you find yourself among the statistics.

A business is merely a means of earning a payment in exchange for your solution to a problem. You are the tradesman and your business is the tool — the hammer. The problem arises when we invest our energy into customizing the hammer. Then we hope the ideal malfunctioning machines and loose nails will show up asking to be tapped.

It serves better to build a business the other way.

Think deeply about those whom you’d like to serve. Analyze their loose nails. THEN get yourself a hammer, and learn exactly when and where to tap.