Common sense is that thing that you can’t teach supposedly. However as you gain more and more knowledge on a subject, more and more things become common sense.
For example, hire a new person and work with them, and you’ll be SHOCKED how much you actually know. Ne things have become common sense to you.
So that means that I actually DO think you can teach common sense…to a degree. You can teach common sense to…a person with…COMON SELSE.
Ok so I’ve compiled a list of 29 common sense topics that I’m going to cover with the intention of teaching them to you, and ov course no matter how long my list is, there’s still a TON that I’ll miss, so please fill in the blanks for me!
Common sense item #1 – Answer the phone.
In what universe do we live in where a smoking hot lead is a burden to us? You should be running across the house risking burning the pizza just to answer the phone. You should be heavy-metal shushing your kids, sprinting to the other room, and working on selling there person that wants to buy SO BAD they did the unthinkable and CALLED YOU.
Common sense item #2 Trust your gut – you know it, so act on it, so you don’t have to say damn it I freaking knew it. Your intuition is one of the most valuable resources as an entrepreneur and leader. Don’t make a move when youre desperate, you’ll get burned and you’ll know you were going to get burned!
Common sense item #3 Ideas don’t pay the bills, execution does. Put in the work! Uber was invented already when Uber started. One company you’ve never heard of and the other took over the entire industry crushing everything in it’s path. The idea wasn’t the gold. Travis Kalanic’s execution was. Stop thinking like a revolutionary and start acting like one!
Common sense item #4 – Good help is hard to find
It has nothing to do with Millenials or Gen Z. People have always been lazy and didn’t want to work. Shut the fuck up Nick these kids now days are entitled, I know it b/c I posted on my social media about how entitled they are and my post went viral because everyone agreed with me! I’m not saying there’s not shit heads out there. And if that is who you are hiring and trusting your customers to, then YES it may appear that the young generation “doesnt want to work”. Fact of the matter is that it has always been hard to find good help, plus the younger generation grew up in the internet area, and GUESS WHAT, they watched bullshit artists on instagram tell them they can be a millionaire doing FBA drop shipping from their moms basement. They have options like never before, some of those options being let the government handle our bills, so they have to be MOVED to work for you. Money will never be enough anymore. They have to be inspired to come to work! Be a leader, and be inspirational!
Common sense item #5 Treat your employees like the family that they are.
There was a time when the boss low key abused the employees. Not cool no matter what, BUT the boss had the leverage because there wasn’t very many jobs out there. TIMES HAVE CHANGED. The economy was ON FIRE fro, ’10 to ’22 and the internet got to full scale. Now there’s a zillion jobs b/c Chic-fil-a went from a chicken place with 5 people working to some strange wholy experience overnight, and has 65 young people working at all times. You have to treat people right or they leave on a MOMENTS NOTICE.
Common sense item #6 You have to teach your people how to do it right. WEIRD. But I can tell you that TEACHING is the number one way to raise your retention and increase your recruiting results. Most people want to start their own business now days….start teaching them the small things you do that set your business apart and do it constantly!
Common sense item #7 Your employees will never care as much as you do. They don’t own the business though so why would they?? The babysitter doesnt care about your kids like you do. Stop expecting them to be 100% of you and realize about the best you can do is 80% of you, but 50% is the starting point. With that mindset you’ll be a stronger leader
Common sense item #8 it’s all your fault
You made the hiring decision. You made the schedule. When someone screws up, YOU caused because youre the leader and its your company. Doesn’t matter, still your fault. You’ve got to hold the employee accountable to their actions YES, because it’s a team game, but no matter what it’s your fault. It’s not scary though, it’s empowering! It means you can fix anything, improve everything, and be in control of your results, not helplessly floating along hoping to win. The guys forgot to bring any blowers? What kind of failsafe did you have in place to remind them of the equipment they needed to grab?everything is your fault.
Common sense item #9 You don’t have a business if you don’t have customers
I know that there’s some crazies out there. I know that some people are dramatic and others are needy, but the entire reason a business exists is FOR PEOPLE. Entrepreneurship has gotten cool so there’s a bunch of ulterior motives that people have…escape the 9-5, don’t work to make the ceo rich, build something for your family…all true and all good! But the real reason you started a business is to solve peoples problems well enough that they become your customer in turn paying you money for youre services. Remember that when you have the needy one that needs to move the party for the 3rd time. It’s not her fault, it’s yours. You started a business, this is your life now!
Common sense item #10 Give a kick back to the people that put you on early.
Jack Daniels whiskey is only as popular as it is because it’s all Frank Sinatra drank. However, JD never paid him a cent. Weird move if you ask me! You my friend have far less famous people that put you on in the beginning (mom, neighbor, buddy from the gym) but don’t forget about them! I see so many entrepreneurs crying online that their family doesnt respect them because they asked for a discount. Go cry elsewhere please. You started something from nothing, and made it successful and thats impressive, but that HOOK UP they want is coming from their pride, not their disrespect. “They know a guy” is what they brag to their friends, and YOU are “their guy”! Take pride in that! Give them a discount or don’t, your call, but you should take care of the ones that help you build.
Common sense item #11 Learning is the Gateway to success
The more you embrace this, the more you will win. Find a way to get as much knowledge into your life as humanly possible and you’ll be setting yourself up for FAR more success. Books, groups, Booz + Biz shows…get more info! I put this show on my podcast, on my YouTube channel…and guess what there’s a million other podcasts out there that will help you. Stop listening to murder podcasts and instead get positivity, and knowledge into your ears so you can improve.That said please hit the subscribe button right now! I’m going to stall for you and take a sip of my beer while you subscribe…thanks!
Common sense item #12 you are what you eat – You’re body is not replaceable, trash turns you into trash, and entrepreneurship is hard enough. Some beers,,,yes bad for body but GOOD for mind so its a trade off. McDonlands, not good for anything. Sugar, not good for anything. Push ups, great for you, sitting on the couch on Netflix AGAIN not good for you. Take care of yourself
Common sense item #13 dress to impress
If you’re a bounce house operator, you probably wear running shorts, crocs, and a dri fit shirt with your logo on it. That is appropriate attire for what we do. But even in our somewhat goofy uniform, there is a ton of awesomeness. If everyone has the matching shirts on, you INSTANTLY look put together. When I’m doing in person consultations at $3m homes for my Xmas light biz, it’s hot AF outside still. I’m in regular shorts, some nice sneakers, and my Lets Get Lit shirt, with a forward facing lets get lit snapback on, a tape measure on my belt, and a notebook in my hand. I also make sure my truck is clean. I don’t dress that nice doing waterslides, because we get wet, dirty, and sweaty on each stop. That is backwards a lot so give my neck some shade, but it’s still a Jump Off hat. How you look MATTERS
Common sense item #14 Advertising works!
To pay $600 a month for Google ads sounds scary and expensive. but that $600 will make you $3600, so you come out +$3000 top line revenue. You know what people spend on Super Bowl ads, and you know it keeps getting more expensive and they keep buying. Proof that ads are worth the money!
Common sense item #15 Social media is what every pays attention
If you aren’t on it, you’re losing ground to those who are. Also its free, so what in the world are you doing NOT being on it?? Organic is harder to get business from for a local company, paid is a beast! Don’t outsource it to you neice, YOU need to know the platforms and the types of content that matter as a business owner. Social media will become your life to some degree, and it should because thats what everyone is paying attention to! The more you post the more you make.
Common sense item #16 For your marketing to work, they need to read it
Why in the hell the bounce house industry has the most busy logos and marketing im not sure, but you DO NOT need a bounce house on the sign that goes next to a bounce house! Just a logo and a URL or even better a giant QR code with a small logo in the middle. Less is more! The bounce house that’s next to the sign does the hard work for you! Of if you were to put the signs on the road, OPPOSITE. It needs to be a big bounce house, and a phone number. No logo, no name, no words, no kids jumping, no palm trees no sunsets…Make your marketing easy for for a human to read so they can give you business! Small side note, some of the bounce houses in your logos are extremely falic…the look like dicks. 😬
Common sense item #17 Take care of the money
The other main reason you start a business, besides for customers, is for money. No one wants to work as hard as we do for no monetary gain. Get a set of softwares to keep track of the money. Inflatable office, square, quickbooks, and an accountant when you’ve scaled a little. Know your numbers: top line revenue, marketing $ (7500 or 9%), payroll percent (46%), bottom line profit (-11%).
Common sense item #18 Don’t Pay Cash – Fininace everything because paying cash wastes capital that you need to grow your business. I sunk a fat amount of cash into building a pool in 2021…3 months later the largest and most established business near me came up for sale but I had no cash!!! Lesson learned the hard way. Now that that business name has been sold and is a MASSIVE competitor near me, I get to sit at my pool , crying into my mojito ripe with regret. Don’t buy a truck cash. Don’t pre pay your landlord for a year. Finance everything but inventory purchases.
Common sense item #19 Use only credit cards – 2% cash back capital one card buys you trips to Mexico. If you sign up use my link, it pays me and you are signing up anyways! use that link, get yourself a trip to Mexico for free.
Common sense item #20 pay off your credit cards before that Interest hits you! Wasting money isn’t great, interest is just that UNLESS you have a chance to expand fast and do it on credit, that interest needs to make sense….but never have any interest hanging out there!
Common sense item #21 Coffee is a gift from nature, drink a shit ton of it and drink it black the way it was supposed to be enjoyed.
Common sense item #22 Coffee is overpriced stop buying $7 lattes and buy a kuerig so you can save money to scale your business. Please don’t buy the pods though they are awful for our environment, and still costly, Buiy a refillable cup and ground coffee.
Common sense item #23 things are going to change
You have to adjust and pivot as the business landscape evolves. There was a time when naming your company AAA Auto was smart because it put you first in the yellow pages. SEO used to be putting whet words on a white background over and over and over…unitl google updated and killed that move. A website used to make you look fancy, not its the bare minimum to do business! if you don’t have a website, YOU NEED ONE NOW! PLEASE do me a favor and just send me a PM “I don’t have a website” and I’m going to set up a group call so I can teach you how to get a website. Look at the NOW for what will be the future.
Common sense item #24 Goals have to be Obtainable
We all want to be a millionaire. If that is your goal in the 1st quarter this year, you’re delusional. Think out your goals, and then focus on HOW TO ACHEIVE THEM. I’m not a big goal setter because they don’t;’t do anything for me emotionally. The actions is where my obsession is. JUST GO.
Common sense item #25 Electricity is scary and can kill you. Respect it and do it right. Don’t know how to do it right, go to YouTube U and learn! Quick hitters…electric items and water are not wise to use together, winches, pumps, rolling machines etc. No cords longer than 100ft. Never multiple cords. Never multiple blowers on one outlet. Plugs that aren’t tight will melt cords, especially in the hot summer sun.
Common sense item #26 Read the Instructions – Theres a right way to do things and a wrong way to do things. The instructions will tell you what to do.
Common sense item #27 Use the right tool for the job.
A wrench is not a hammer. Channel locks are not a wrench. An Altima is not a Silverado, however you gotta do what you gotta do in the beginning. Dolly, hammer, correct anchors.
Common sense item #28 Buy once cry once – good equipment will stand the test of time and make you more effecint. Time is money, and a Rollsall will not only save you time, it will keep you fresher not lugging slides through the grass so you can work ON the business more, and have energy to workout too. A 16 ft trailer is expensive, and you only have 2 bounce houses, but it future proofs you and you buy ONE trailer, instead of 4 like I did…Spend the money on the good stuff!
Common sense item #29 Equipment is expensive, take care of it!
The more you do to take care of it, the longer it lasts and the more work it can do. Abuse it, you have to repair or replace it and you have less money for growth!
There we go! Dude its common sense!. That is 29 common sense business items to help you live a fuller entrepreneur life!…Dude its common sense!
Says here on my notes, that “nick takes a big drink of his beer”
#1 Answer the phone.
#2 Trust your gut
#3 Ideas don’t pay the bills, execution does.
#4 Good help is hard to find
#5 Treat your employees like the family that they are.
#6 You have to teach your people how to do it right.
#7 Your employees will never care as much as you do.
#8 it’s all your fault
#9 You don’t have a business if you don’t have customers
#10 Kick back to the people that put you on.
#11 Learning is the Gateway to success
#12 You are what you eat
#13 dress to impress
#14 Advertising works!3
#15 Social media is what every pays attention
#16 For your marketing to work, they need to read it
#17 Take care of the money
#18 Don’t Pay Cash
#19 Use only credit cards –
#20 pay off your credit cards before that Interest hits you!Common
#21 Coffee is a gift from nature, drink a shit ton of it and drink it black the way it was supposed to be enjoyed.
#22 Coffee is overpriced stop buying $7 lattes
#23 things are going to change
#24 Goals have to be Obtainable
#25 Electricity is scary and can kill you.
#26 Read the Instructions
#27 Use the right tool for the job.
#28 Buy once cry once
#29 Equipment is expensive, take care of it!
