As 2023 Unfolds, Think More Like a Farmer
“The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn't still be a farmer” said Will Rogers.
Replace “farmer” with “entrepreneur” and the quote remains just as valid. You probably heard of the Farmer’s Mentality long ago but here is our take on it, in the context of a small business, trying to make do as the new year unfolds in what might be yet another 12 months of uncertainty.
Small business owners must maintain their optimism down the road of the 2023 journey.
This article stems from our first-hand experience as small business owners - by setting up and running our own company and by working closely with small business owners in Switzerland and abroad. Here are a few farmer’s mentality notions that, we believe, will be of help for SMB owners, down the journey of 2023.
Hold on tight to commitment and consistency
Rain or sunshine, the farmer shows up every day. If the weather or anything else outside his/her control, prevents the farmer from doing the task he had planned for the day - farmer will focus on other farmerly duties because guess what, there is always work to be done at the farm. All the same applies to a small business - there is always something to be done, something that can be fixed or improved in your business’ garden.
Don't forget to rest
It is on purpose that we bring rest so early on into discussion on the farmer’s best practices list. In the context of the past few years, the importance of rest, deep rest, well-being and balance has been stressed over and over again. All the same, people tend to keep pushing themselves far beyond reasonable limits when it comes to work.
SMB owners, do rest because “the master’s eye is the best fertilizer” hence it should be a clear and alert eye.
Most entrepreneurs will try to make a business out of something they like doing, out of a passion maybe - in such cases the soil is as fertile as it can get for a supreme case of burn-out. Farmers give it all when they are out on the field but, as the job is done they leave the field behind and go home to rest, every single day.
Trust the process and be patient
From getting just the right seeds for the soil, to knowing when and how to plant, weed, prune, fertilize, irrigate and finally, to waiting patiently for the right time to reap the harvest, the farmer knows the nature of the seasons and the nature of its own crops. She/he trusts and respects the cycles of the year and has faith in the process. Also, a farmer does not uproot the crops before they have had the chance to grow, and does not get upset at the yield for not growing fast enough.
As business owners living in a world that seems to be on fast forward, we sometimes underestimate the time the business needs to mature. Growth and optimal results take time and speeding up the pace of our actions will not necessarily accelerate the rate at which results will start coming in. Waiting and learning is part of the process too. A farmer always thinks long-term and plans for at least one year ahead - keeping a longer time frame in mind is beneficial for entrepreneurs alike.
Keep going the extra mile, dear small business owner.
Go the extra mile
Farmers always sow more seeds than they need because they know many will not stick nor flourish. To raise the odds for success entrepreneurs need to do more than the bare minimum as well. Further, with the experience of past harvest (or years in business for entrepreneurs), one knows that prevention measures and keeping standards all time high for each and every part of the daily duties, can pay off later in surprising ways.
So do go the extra mile, it is not crowded at all there.
Focus on what you can control - the “weather” is not one of those things
Farmers will have good, great, bad and sometimes terrible seasons. They know and accept that a good harvest, or the lack of it, is many times conditioned by things that are simply out of their control - take the weather as an example.
Doing all the things right is not necessarily a guarantee for a bountiful outcome. Thinking of the weather in the farmer’s context, business owners are just as dependent on the overall economical context in which they activate. Knowing to take the lesson when they cannot take the win, mastering the art of adaptation and resilience is key for us all in any aspect of our lives.
If at any point in 2023 you feel like heading for the hills, remember what the farmer would do, how they weather the storms season after season and still find the energy to start again in spring.
This is the 4th article from the series “5 empowering thoughts for small businesses in 2023”. Sign up to the newsletter (form available in the website footer) to receive them directly in your inbox.
Image credits (in order): Markus Spiske, Scott Goodwill and Dan Meyers via unsplash.
About Journee - Digital at Ease
Founded by two digital marketing professionals with extensive international experience, Journee GmbH is a female owned digital marketing and technology boutique consultancy.
We aim to make a big difference for the small: small business owners and solopreneurs looking to start and advance on their business digital journey.
Our combined expertise covers digital marketing, digital analytics, advertising, marketing technology as well as overall digital strategy support and mentorship.