We are fortunate to have world-class businesses here in Rhode Island, and their quality gives us tremendous opportunities to learn.
Study your competitors and understand what they do well. Then determine if you can do "that" better. Just one factor may differentiate your business from the competition.
Business is changing every day – how and what we offer, what our customers expect. Accept the challenge to continually refocus and reinvent your business and stay current.
Look to your own development with a similar learning approach, because without continual learning, our knowledge becomes dated.
If you haven't been learning new ways to approach your work, your "old" job may no longer be available to you. Commit to re-creating yourself by learning new things, new approaches. Lifelong learning isn't just a nice concept, it's an absolute necessity.
Take responsibility and be accountable to stay informed of trends. Can't make an app or software function? That's a problem. Stay current with technology to guarantee you and your business will have a place in the future.
Don't restrict how you learn, it can be formal or informal. Everything learned broadens your horizons. Being curious about things opens the next door to learn something else.
My husband and I just took a backyard astronomy class. Now I want to know how to photograph the night sky. Maybe developing night vision will help me see the future? You never know. •