The river rushing by
Okay, fine — it might freeze over. But not forever. (Image by Aquilatin)
In my city, there is a small restaurant that has a waiting list for brunch just about every weekend.
Theoretically, they are missing out on business as the wait gets longer. I stopped by one day at the height of the summer season. Upon finding out that it would take 45 minutes to be seated, I shook my head.
“See you in November!” I said with a smile. They laughed. I left.
If I’m leaving, how many others are leaving? Aren’t all those lost customers a problem?
I say, no. I’ve seen restaurants (and many other types of businesses) struggle because they were trying to accommodate every possible customer. They expanded in capacity or added new programming, and then they couldn’t fill it.
In the process, they often lost the charm that they had when they were smaller and cozier — and became less profitable, too.
The truth is, a business with a line out the door becomes more attractive, not less. For everyone who doesn’t go because, as Yogi Berra said, “Nobody ever goes there anymore — it’s too crowded!,” there are others who will happily wait their turn. The business grows in status and esteem.
There’s something compelling about the confidence of a business owner who isn’t trying to chase down every lead. She understands that the there is a constant flow of opportunities, like flecks of gold in the river rushing by. All she has to do is dip into it from time to time.
A client of mine went viral on TikTok and wasn’t prepared. She received many messages asking for her services, but her schedule was already full. She had planned to offer a group class, but it wasn’t available yet. How was she going to capitalize on the sudden influx of interest?
The answer was: slowly. It was okay that she had an overabundance of potential clients and students. And it was okay that she would, inevitably, lose some of them due to the fact that she didn’t have a tight sales funnel. This wasn’t a one-time win. Thanks to the river rushing by, there would always be more, and she would always have what she needed.
Though there is a cost to losing customers when you can’t serve them, there is also a cost to trying find a way to serve them. I’ve known entrepreneurs who created entire product lines based on the suggestion of just a few people. When these product lines sold poorly, it jeopardized the entire business.
On a smaller scale, even if you’re a business owner who has chosen not to chase business or dramatically revamp everything, you may feel a sense of anxiety about missed opportunities. You might have a sense that you’re late to the party or that a window is closing. Maybe you’re worried that you won’t get your share.
I get it. I’ve felt that way, too. But I’ve found that if I focus on what I have instead of what I’m missing out on, I’m less distracted and overwhelmed. That allows me to do better work, which strengthens my business and my confidence. If I’m patient and consistent, I will always find enough new opportunities.
We don’t need to dam up the metaphorical river or divert its course. And we definitely don’t need to jump into it and be carried away by its current. We don’t need all of it, just a little. It will keep on flowing, and there will always be more. That means that it’s okay if you aren’t standing on the dock when your ship comes in — there will be another. All in good time.
