Business 101

I'm ambivalent about getting business advice from the "experts" up at Central Oregon Community College.

------(Thus this blog will be jam packed with "yes, buts"...."Yet(s)"...and "on the other hand(s).")----

Part of me never wants to spend another minute inside a classroom. I feel like I spent way too many hours in classrooms, basically getting very little out them. Instead, I'd go back to my own room, read the course material, and learn most of what I learned that way.

There were the occasional teachers and moments where a lightbulb lit up over my head, but it was relatively rare for all the many hours I spent listening. I'm a visual learner, big time. Audio goes in one ear and out the other.

On the other hand, my limited experience with the Small Business people up at C.O.C.C. was extremely useful. It was a one-on-one situation, which may explain it. But I not only got some simple formulas that I have used ever since, I was also helped in getting a loan to expand my business, something that probably never would have happened without their help.

They put me through my paces, making me develop a business plan. And best of all, they more or less validated my instincts ("You have a primitive sophistication," said my adviser) and encouraged me to go forward with my planning.

However, I think that in many cases, the advice and knowledge available is not completely applicable to a small Mom and Pop style retail. Like most business advice books, it's almost too much knowledge.

I have a similar ambivalent feeling about technology: I want to take the easier elements and use them, but discard most of the complexity. Most of possible uses of technology are overreaching for my little store. Too much time, money and effort spent on marginal improvements.

And no offense to the experts, but I've seen way too many small businesses come and go over the last 30 years to believe there is a single method of succeeding. I suspect that unless you already know what you're doing, you'll get at least as much bad advice as good advice.

Then again, I'm the guy who is always horrified by how little homework most people do when they are opening a new enterprise. When I wanted to be a writer, I read every book on writing I could get my hands on, I took adult classes in writing, and I joined a writer's group.

When I started my business, I read every book I could find on small business I could find, and joined the professional bulletin boards.

Like I said. Most of the time, I tend to think this type of advice is useless. It's probably most useful to those small business people who have already experienced enough ups and downs to recognize the value of the advice.