Future-Proofing Your Business: Real-Life Strategies to Prepare Your Business for Tomorrow, Today

PREFACE

It's the late 1980s. I had just opened the doors of my new consulting business when I got a call from a young bloke who advised me that he had been referred to me by a friend of mine. A fast-talking, no-nonsense voice bellows over the telephone, "I've heard you can help me with some things I need done for my business." I sheepishly respond, "Yeah, sure; what do you need?"

"Let's meet," are the next words out of this man's mouth—and the only response I get. After a brief conversation, we decide that we'll get together at an airport lounge a few days later when he will be on his way through town.

Fast-forward several days. The meeting begins with him pulling out a mile-long list of the things he wants done in his business. He prefaces the conversation by claiming, "We've got five stores now, and we're going to have 100 more; so we've got a lot of marketing stuff to get done." He finishes reading his list and poses the question, "And we're going to franchise; you've heard about franchising, right?" "Of course," I answer, while thinking to myself, "I better go buy some books on this." And after all, he didn't ask me if I had experience in franchising; he just wanted to know if I had heard of franchising.

Forty-five minutes later the meeting was coming to an end, and I had to ask the question. "So, tell me, since you need all of this stuff done and you need it all done now, can you give me an idea of what your budget is?" After a pause and some flicking of paper—as if he was looking ...