provider perspective Spirit of Success in 2009 Obviously, times are tough and telco and MSO <strong>com</strong>petition is tough, too. But business leaders have been here before. Here’s how the best handled it. By Bryan Rader ■ Bandwidth Consulting LLC As we turn our calendars to 2009, it is time for us to renew our spirit in this business, our enthusiasm for this industry, and our opportunity to achieve something special. “Are you running for office” I can hear someone asking. “We’re drowning here. The capital markets are frozen, my real estate clients are struggling, I have too much <strong>com</strong>petition. What are you talking about – renewing my spirit” I understand. I see the long faces at the airport. I get plenty of shrugs when I ask, “How is business” And I recognize the anxiety on TV news shows, and see the “store closing for good” signs up at the mall. “I may have to cut staff.” “I might not grow at all next year.” “I can’t give raises.” “I’m not <strong>com</strong>pleting an upgrade.” I see this sentiment every day. It’s brutal. And most of us have never witnessed a long, deep recession like the one we’re in today. But since we can’t control many of these outside problems, the only thing we can control is our attitude, our <strong>com</strong>petitive drive to improve, our willingness to succeed, our spirit to thrive. Remember when you first sat down and wrote your business plan to enter this field Remember the enthusiasm you felt about getting started, signing up that first property, activating your first customer Do you remember that “feeling” As we go into a new year, it’s time to tap into that feeling, that energy, that spirit again. That’s what private cable operators will need this year to fight off FiOS, U-verse, the credit markets, and all the other obstacles and challenges we face. Do you still have that “spirit” We should pay attention to other business leaders over the past half-century who have had to grow their <strong>com</strong>panies during difficult times. They dealt with down cycles, soft financial periods, increasing <strong>com</strong>petition, and anxiety among their team members. Maybe the best way to regain our “spirit” is to listen to, and be inspired by, some of these leaders. After all, whether it is selling coffee, burgers, moon pies or broadband service, we need a certain level of enthusiasm to be successful…especially during the darker days. DREAM BIG Listen to the story of Howard Shultz, CEO of Starbucks, shortly after he took control of the firm. He was trying to re-educate his customer to spend three times more for a good cup of coffee. He had relatively limited capital, an inexperienced team and a tough economy. But he had a vision for his success. “I dream big,” Shultz said. “I want to build a <strong>com</strong>pany that people are proud to work for, based on values and guiding principles. I want to see long lines to get in our stores. I want to change the way Americans drink coffee.” His spirit and passion – in bad times and good – guided Starbucks to its success today. It’s the same drive that Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, exhibited when he opened the first store in the chain in 1950. “Low prices and satisfaction guaranteed,” he said. “That’s our formula.” He was so intent on winning that he <strong>com</strong>pared the number of cars in his parking lot to those in his <strong>com</strong>petitors’ lots. He even picked winning products to sell on his shelves – moon pies! Wal- Mart sold 500,000 in one weekend. Walton was passionate about his business. But it wasn’t always easy. His early stores struggled. His <strong>com</strong>pany didn’t have systems. They didn’t have ordering programs. Or a basic merchandising assortment. Or even <strong>com</strong>puters! But they stayed focused – even with the early struggles – on building what is now the largest retailer in the world. This grew from Sam Walton’s driving “spirit.” That same spirit also drove Ray Kroc as he built McDonald’s into a world-renowned fast food <strong>com</strong>pany, starting from a single location in June 1955. “There are hazards and pitfalls, of course, just as there are in any small business,” Ray Kroc once explained. “McDonald’s doesn’t confer success on anyone. It takes guts and staying power to make it with one of our restaurants. Some locations go along for years with a modest volume. But with dedication to principles and a love of hard work, you can do it.” Boy, did he do it. Once again, with a spirit that helped him through the good and bad times. And so as PCOs look toward 2009, we should try to instill some of the same spirit of these other business leaders of our past. We all have it – it isn’t lost inside any of us. It’s what got us into this business in the first place. We just need to tap into that same spirit once again even during these times, to make 2009 a very spirited and successful year! BBP About the Author Bryan J. Rader, former CEO of Media- Works before selling the <strong>com</strong>pany in 2006, has recently founded a new firm, Bandwidth Consulting LLC, to advise operators and providers in the MDU market segment. Contact Bryan at bryanjrader@ yahoo.<strong>com</strong> or at 636-536-0011. Learn more at www.bandwidthconsultingllc.<strong>com</strong>. 8 | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | www.broadbandproperties.<strong>com</strong> | January/February 2009
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