If You Build It, They Will Come

June 2, 2007
If You Build It, They Will Come

We were in Cape May, N.J. over the holiday weekend. Cape May is a quaint, Victorian town on the southern tip of N.J. (actually it is an island). It is on the national historic landmark tour, and as such requires permits for any type of building or demolition (you almost have to get a permit to cut the grass). While jogging along the promenade with my son on Friday morning, I noticed the “Sea Mist” hotel on the beach front was stripped down to just the old wooden stud frame. This was a beautiful old Victorian home and I am sure it will be restored to it’s original state. What struck me though, was how old and rotted the supporting framework had become (built in the 1800’s). No matter how great it looked on the outside (one of the most photographed houses in Cape May), it could not stand much longer without a major overhaul.

We are not in business to impress people (although Shaklee certainly is impressive) with fancy offices or pink cars. We are in business for strong and steady growth over the long term. We certainly do want to look good on the outside, but more importantly we want to build into people’s lives a sure future of health and prosperity. We don’t want to have to tear the whole business apart and have to rebuild it correctly in a couple of years. So be selective, sponsor and train quality people. Others will be attracted to our organizations when they see quality components such as honesty, preparation, opportunity, and training.

We must build our business with a strong supporting framework, one that will weather the storms and endure the changing seasons. The great teacher gave us a parable of the two foundations. One man built a house on a foundation of rock and when the floods came the house could not be shaken. Another man built his house on a foundation of sand, and when the storms came the house fell.

Our company has stood for over 50 years because it has strong founding principles. Our CEO is building upon that foundation (you can build quickly when you have a good foundation) and the company is growing exponentially. So build your business on a good foundation, with the future in mind and prepare to be an “historic business” that people will admire for years to come.

Mike