I just finished an interview and article that highlighted a distributor and a contractor who found the courage to go beyond the bounds of common business practices.

This undiscovered territory brought some fearful times and unexpected challenges that each had to face with tenacity and dedication. Turning back at the first sight of trouble would have deprived them both of what is now a successful and lucrative partnership.

After completing the interview, I was curious as to why so many businesses had turned this contractor’s idea down in the first place.

I understand that this is a tough economy and watching the bottom line is more important than ever, but as a distributor and a contractor, if you spend all of your time surviving and not much of it growing, you could be in danger of not being a relevant business when “this thing turns around.”

I would suggest that you begin to change your way of thinking. Don’t lose all semblance of common sense, but be open minded enough to take the suggestions proposed to you back to the office and mull it over for a few minutes before you reply. Run some numbers, poll the staff; consider that the suggestion made may just be the niche concept that will set your business apart from the rest.

Perhaps it is time to let go of the staunch old ways of doing business and embrace some creative thinking when devising your 2010 business strategies. Maybe your pot of gold lies just beyond business as usual.