Having faith in your business...

In spite of the projected upturns in the economy, it seems that the news remains filled with companies (both large and small) going under. It grows increasingly tougher to remain optimistic about the future, when the present seems to only get worse. How do we discipline ourselves to do the right things now, so that we will be around when the economy does rebound?

I watched a movie over the weekend called Faith Like Potatoes. While it is primarily a Christian themed movie, it had a lot of tremendous applications for a business during a tough environment.

During these times, we all hear a lot of advice; better not spend any money, don't take any undue risks, delay any investments until times get better. And it's very tempting to follow these well-meaning suggestions. But the reality is, looking at our business in this way can take away the rewards that we should be striving for down the road.

In the movie (based on a true story), Angus, the main character, plants potatoes (a highly profitable, though somewhat risky crop) in a time of drought. Everyone told him he was crazy, that he would lose everything as a result. It drove those around him crazy that they couldn't see the progress of the potatoes as they grew underground. Those that went the "safe" route and planted corn could see their progress throughout the season. But Angus believed that he had done the right thing and would be rewarded when it was the time for harvest.

What potatoes are you planting? What investments are you making simply because you "know" its the right thing to do. In reality, we all operate in faith to some degree. We believe the sun will rise and set, we believe our employees will come to work, we believe that if we work hard we'll be successful. Why is it that so many remove faith from critical portions of their business?

More than ever, we need to believe that our companies will survive, and potentially thrive once again. With that in mind, we need to be equipping ourselves for the future, not just burying our heads in the sand to survive the present. Even if like potatoes, our investments are growing unseen in the near-term, we need to believe that doing the right things now will pay off in the future.