I have taken quite a few entrepreneurship classes over the past year. In high school, I took a class that spoke towards all aspects of entrepreneurship and I loved it. I was set on becoming an entrepreneur. My first semester of college I took two different entrepreneurship courses. One class focused on the type of a person an entrepreneur must be and how to spark imagination and creativity and act upon it. It was awesome! It expanding my knowledge on what entrepreneurship really is. The other course took ideas and turned them into proven business concepts. These courses excited me and motivated me to become the entrepreneur I want to be.
The other day, I was grabbing a latte at a Dunkin' Donuts near the train station after work. I've stopped by this location several times and every day I see the same employees with a smile on their face while serving customers with respect and I see customers returning the positive gratitude as well.
I frequent many coffee shops, but this one felt special. I realized how more often than not, those that work in retail, fast food chains, and corporate franchises, either put up a front to seem positive and courteous or stay within their company's means without going the extra mile for customers. I understand it though, each location no matter what the company sells probably gets thousands of customers a day and going the extra mile for every single one, every single time must be hard.
But, when I realized how well this coffee franchise was doing in this location, I reflected on corporate franchises. What inspires these employees to exude a love and respect for their job that leaves each customer genuinely happy? They seem to be working even harder than other franchises to make a brand that is not even theirs more memorable without a reward.
In the entrepreneurship course that explored topics between the type of person an entrepreneur must be, our class had a discussion on what it means to be autotelic. From it's dictionary definition, having an autotelic mindset means to find a purpose within itself.
It's a hard concept to grasp and implement in one's life. Like anything, it takes practice to master.
Putting yourself in the mindset to feel as if you are fulfilling a purpose in everything you do keeps you mentally positive and determined to generate outstanding results.
When you own a small business and need to play all roles within the business; customer service, salesman, marketer, promotor, and the face of the company, it is very challenging to find purpose in everything you have to do to keep your business up and running and your clientele genuinely satisfied.
You have to work hard and it won't pay off until the very end.
My point is sometimes we don't focus on the wonderful energy people put into starting a small business or running a corporate franchise. It's not easy to feel purposeful in such competitive industry.
The next time you are served with a genuine smile and great customer service, remember to thank them for doing a great job!
My point is sometimes we don't focus on the wonderful energy people put into starting a small business or running a corporate franchise. It's not easy to feel purposeful in such competitive industry.
The next time you are served with a genuine smile and great customer service, remember to thank them for doing a great job!