How to become your firm’s star employee

While sweating through the over two years and over 1000 hours of backbreaking slog to write the book Secrets of Entrepreneurial Success – Ten Steps to Running Your Own Business, I made a discovery. I figured out what I thought was the bottom line of the bottom line of business. Not just small business, but all business. It boiled down to this: Turnover minus Costs = Profit. I’ll say that again: Turnover minus Costs = Profit. Turnover is what you sell. Costs are what you deduct from that. And profit is what you end up with (for the purists, Net Profit After Tax is the final reality of your business, and its profitability). So when a small-business owner (or even big business owner) wades through all his or her daily tasks, it’s easy for them to get distracted. They need a mantra, something short and sharp that will guide them through the day, hewing them to the bottom line.rnAnd that mantra is: Turnover minus Costs = Profit. In other words: a business owner must constantly SELL more, and at the same time keep on cutting COSTS, to make sure that he or she has the most PROFIT at the end of the day. Or year. Marketing? Advertising? The small business owner pumps money into those to maintain awareness of his company out there. So that he can SELL more. Staff problems? May have to cut costs by retrenching. Or take the time to find out what is bothering them, or pay for staff education, so they become more valuable staff. So that he can SELL more. So you see that every decision a small-business owner makes is either concerned with SELLING more (Turnover), or cutting COSTS. Those two things are on a boss’ mind all day. Or should be, if he wants to be effective and profitable. So how does that affect you, as the employee? What do the boss’ problems have to do with you? Well, if you want to become the most valuable staff member in your firm, then you should start thinking like the boss.rnAsk yourself: how can I help my boss to sell more? And to cut costs? You might be surprised as to how many situations you could find which would help your boss 1) sell more and 2) cut costs. If you do this consistently, it will change your boss’ attitude towards you. He will now see you (if he didn't see you before) as extremely valuable. Why? Because you’re helping put more money into his pocket (PROFIT). And if he is worth his salt, he will reward you. If he doesn’t, then move on and find someone who will reward you. rnSo this is how you become your firm’s star employee. Think like the boss. Help him find out how to sell more, and how to cut costs! Don’t tread on other staff member’s toes, or imply that you’re trying to tell the boss how to run his firm. But if you do it right, your boss will be most impressed. The other staff members will typically be trying to do the least amount of work possible. But you’re different – because you’re now thinking like the boss. Try it. It’ll be fun – and the rewards will amaze you.