Keep it simple, stupid.

Reading the story in the Bulletin about Wildwood Banjo's just made me want to remind all current and especially future small business owners of America -- that it is AT LEAST as important to be happy in your job as it is to make money.

There are a few ambitious cusses out there who want and need to expand -- and are successful and happy with the results.

But I'm telling you, that's the rarer example. Most of us want to make a living and enjoy our business, and those two goals don't always go together.

It's a delicate balance -- being hardworking and ambitious enough to earn money, but not burn yourself out.

From what I see, just as many business owner burn out from the stress as close because of a lack of funds. Or, more likely, are more willing the close because it isn't fun anymore.

It seems to be built into the genetic code of small business owners to get bigger and fancier and offer more and more services, and extend hours, and lower prices and sell more, and have clubs and memberships and special events, and....it goes on and on. There are no end of ways to burn yourself out.

Keep it simple.

Keep it sustainable. (Anything that you start, you may have to keep on doing even when you don't want to.)

Little bits add up.

Remember what you started out to do, and what you wanted to sell. Success doesn't mean go crazy. Sometimes you should be happy and satisfied with the success you have and -- counter intuitive as it may sound -- NOT build on it.

You've all heard of the Peter Principle -- people are promoted in their jobs to their level of incompetence.

Well, there is a similar principle in small business. Small businesses expand into their level of incompetence.

I had four stores, and I thought I could play "Lord of the Manor" and just check in every few days and say, "Hey, how much money did we make today?"

Of course, that isn't the way it works. Each store has to be worked equally hard as the single store was worked -- only most employees don't want to work that hard (as hard as the owner) nor can you afford to pay them enough to work that hard.

That's why most big business work more in the "You're a cog in the wheel" form of employment. Plug in the next minimum wage employee, make it simple, and live off the cheap prices and volume. (Never mind efficiency and service and all those good things.)

Just saying -- no one really seem to point this out. America's ethic is to get bigger and work harder and put on the harness and never take it off.

But a truly sustainable business needs to make not only money, but good will and harmony.