Troubleshooting is a term particularly known in the computer science and technology world, where technicians spend (sometimes) countless hours trying to understand what problems exist and whether they can be replicated as a means of understanding how they occur. In small-business assistance terms, troubleshooting means spending (sometimes) countless hours trying to understand the problems that entrepreneurs face, whether these problems are unique and isolated or common and widespread, and how these problems occur in the community, business, sector, or industry.
Here’s how we make troubleshooting a foundational tool for working with clients:
- First, we listen. We don’t simply make guesses about what entrepreneurs are facing or draw generalizations about what they might be trying to tell us. We listen, much the way a technician listens to end users describe the computer issues they’re experiencing, for what an entrepreneur says (the words they speak) and what they tell us without saying (the underlying issues they may not even be aware are occurring).
- Next, we reason. We start by summarizing and paraphrasing what entrepreneurs have told us and by asking clarifying questions to ensure we fully grasp the problems that we intend to turn into opportunities.
- Then, we compartmentalize. It’s true. Some issues and questions that entrepreneurs bring to us are common ones that all business owners face or that many business owners in similar situations face. So we look for symptoms we’ve seen before and develop a few lenses through which to view the critical issues facing entrepreneurs.
- Finally, we speak. Professional computer hardware and software technicians are trained in many areas of computer sciences and other technologies and often come prepared with scripted procedures for end users to follow. Other times, they have to wing it, play it by ear, throw away the book because every situation is potentially different from all the others. We’re no different. We have some best practices at the ready to help entrepreneurs address common problems. We have some standard advice and insights that we share across the board because some concepts simply work universally. And other times, we have to wing it, play it by ear, throw away the book because every business situation is potentially different from all the other business scenarios we’ve seen. When we know in which domain we’re operating – by the book or by ear – then we share what we know to turn problems into opportunities for entrepreneurs.
An example is when we first met with a contractor who’s wood trim and cabinet making company was getting too financially complex to manage in the Dome Accounting Books he and his wife were using to manage the company’s finances. The owner, whom we’ll call JP, told us that he wanted a better system for managing bank accounts, cash inflows and outflows, expenses, revenues, invoices, receipts, and bills. He also talked about marketing needs, whether he should be using a website and social media; how he could strengthen his company to accommodate some growth it was experiencing at the time; and when to call a purchase an expense, a cost of goods sold, or a fixed asset. He raised a few other questions that hinted at some insurance and risk management needs, that pointed to a possible need to hire employees, that signaled a desire to work better with his tax accountant, and that revealed a need for serious strategic and marketing planning.
For JP, our troubleshooting process involved listening to him describe where his business was at the time, where he needed to go next, and how he experienced the challenges and struggles of getting to the next step. Next, we did some sense-making to ensure that we fully understood what he was describing to us. Then, we grouped his concerns, issues, and challenges into buckets like strategy, accounting, tax and audit, marketing and communications, human resources, administrative and clerical, and so on. Finally, we spoke. We offered some recommendations based on the common problems he experienced and on those issues unique to his situation and available resources. This wasn’t the end for our work with JP, however, and in subsequent posts, you’ll see how we’ve continued to use TACT to support his evolving business needs through the years.
Don’t jump too far ahead just yet, though. What stands out to you about the troubleshooting process as it applies to your own business idea or company? We’d love to hear from you via comments below or our Contact page about the kinds of things troubling your startup or going concern. Are you struggling to get started? Or have you successfully launched your business only to find yourself stuck for growth? How can Master of TACT help you help yourself through the sometimes tedious and bewildering diagnosis of your issues and challenges? Let us know in comments below or on our Contact page. We’d love to hear from you and swap some ideas about troubleshooting your unique questions and concerns.
