Sam's Pivot: Helping Business Owners Rediscover Their Joy

Audio Discussion

As the year draws to a close, Marco visits Sam with a Christmas gift and learns about an exciting new chapter in his friend’s professional journey. Their conversation reveals how Sam plans to help small business owners rediscover the joy that first led them to start their businesses.

Key take-aways and links to additional resources are at the end of this article.

Please note that all people and companies mentioned in this article are fictional.

The December afternoon light filtered softly through the windows of Sam’s Mercer Island home, casting long shadows across his living room. Outside, a light dusting of snow had begun to fall, adding to the season’s festive atmosphere. Marco stood on the porch, a carefully wrapped package tucked under his arm, and rang the doorbell.

Sam’s warm greeting and the rich aroma of mulled cider welcomed Marco inside. The living room was tastefully decorated for the holidays, with a small Christmas tree in the corner and a few carefully chosen ornaments that spoke to Sam’s minimalist aesthetic.

“Perfect timing,” Sam said, gesturing toward the kitchen. “I just finished making some cider, and I might have something to add to it if you’re interested.” He winked, reaching for a bottle of aged rum on a nearby shelf.

Marco grinned, handing over his gift. “Sounds perfect. Though I have to drive later, so maybe just a touch of rum.”

They settled into the comfortable leather chairs near the fireplace, each holding a steaming mug of spiced cider. The gift sat unopened on the coffee table between them - Sam had always preferred conversation to rushing through presents.

“So,” Marco began, taking a careful sip of the hot drink, “I heard through the grapevine that you just wrapped up the defibrillator project. But there’s something else, isn’t there? You seemed pretty excited when we texted last week.”

Sam’s eyes lit up, and he set his mug down carefully. “You know me too well, Marco. Yes, I’ve made a decision - quite a big one, actually. I’m pivoting my business.”

Marco raised his eyebrows, intrigued. “Really? After all these years in medical devices?”

“Twenty-eight years,” Sam nodded, a reflective smile crossing his face. “Since 1996. And you know what? Those first few years were incredible. Everything was fresh, new, exciting. I was building something from scratch, learning every day, helping create devices that saved lives. It was deeply satisfying.”

He paused, taking another sip of cider before continuing. “But over time, something changed. Not with the work itself - that remained important and meaningful. It was all the other stuff. The necessary conditions of running a business, as I call them. The paperwork, the proposals, the contract negotiations, the liability insurance renewals…” He waved his hand dismissively. “All those things that you have to do to keep a business running but that aren’t why you started the business in the first place.”

Marco nodded thoughtfully. “I can see that. It’s like the business equivalent of technical debt - all these maintenance tasks that pull you away from what you really want to be doing.”

“Exactly!” Sam exclaimed. “And you know what? I’ve realized I’m not alone in this. About six months ago, I joined BNI - it’s a business networking group. And as I talked with other small business owners, I kept hearing the same story. People who started businesses because they loved baking, or designing, or teaching, or whatever it might be, and now spend half their time doing everything but that.”

Marco leaned forward, interest piqued. “And that’s where your pivot comes in?”

“Yes,” Sam confirmed. “I’ve decided to focus on helping small business owners rediscover and reclaim the joy that made them start their businesses in the first place. Using my business experience, my knowledge of Theory of Constraints, and the network I’ve built over the years.”

“That’s quite a shift,” Marco observed. “Though knowing you, I’m sure you’ve thought this through carefully. Will you still be doing any software work?”

Sam chuckled. “Oh, I’m not hanging up my programmer’s hat entirely. Software development is still a powerful tool in my toolkit. If a client needs process automation to free up their time, I can help with that. But it won’t be my primary focus anymore.”

Marco nodded, then asked, “You mentioned Theory of Constraints. How do you plan to apply that to helping these business owners?”

“Well,” Sam began, settling back in his chair, “I’ll use the Thinking Process tools - TP for short. It’s a systematic way to analyze problems and develop solutions. For each client, I’ll do what I call a small TP analysis, which includes creating a Current Reality Tree to understand their situation, an Evaporating Cloud to resolve conflicts, and a Future Reality Tree to map out the path forward.”

Seeing Marco’s questioning look, he added, “Think of it as a way to dig down to the root causes of why a business owner is spending so much time on things they don’t enjoy, and then finding ways to change that reality.”

“Can you give me an example?” Marco asked, reaching for his mug.

“Sure,” Sam replied. “Let’s say there’s a baker who started her business because she loves creating beautiful, delicious pastries. But now she spends most of her time managing inventory, dealing with suppliers, and handling customer service issues. Her staff can bake following her recipes, but she’s stuck doing all these administrative tasks because ‘nobody else can do them right.’”

He paused, letting that sink in. “Using the TP tools, we might discover that her reluctance to delegate isn’t really about other people’s capabilities - it’s about her need for control and fear of losing quality. Once we understand that, we can work on building systems and training programs that maintain her high standards while freeing her to focus on creating new recipes and doing the creative work she loves.”

Marco considered this. “That makes sense. But consulting can be risky - how are you structuring your engagements?”

Sam’s eyes twinkled. “That’s where the BNI ‘Givers Gain’ mindset comes in. I do the initial analysis - usually six to eight meetings plus the outside work to prepare the analysis - at no charge. If the client doesn’t want to proceed after seeing what’s possible, they keep the analysis as a gift. No strings attached.”

Marco’s eyebrows shot up. “No charge? Aren’t you worried about people taking advantage of that?”

Sam shook his head, smiling confidently. “Not at all. First, because I know the quality of my work - once people see what’s possible, they usually want help getting there. And second, because giving first builds trust. When people see that I’m willing to invest my time and expertise upfront, it changes the whole dynamic.”

“That’s pretty bold,” Marco said, impressed. “But I can see how it aligns with who you are. You’ve always been more interested in helping people than in maximizing profit.”

“Exactly,” Sam agreed. “And you know what? I think I’ll actually do better financially this way. When you lead with giving, good things tend to follow. Plus, I’m doing what I love - helping people, solving problems, and using all the tools and experience I’ve gathered over the years.”

Marco smiled, reaching for the gift on the table. “Well, in that spirit of giving, maybe it’s time you opened this.”

Sam accepted the package with a warm smile. “Thanks, Marco. You know, I was just thinking - this conversation reminds me of why our friendship works so well. We both understand that the best things in life - whether it’s running a business or maintaining friendships - come from genuine caring and willingness to give.”

As Sam carefully unwrapped his gift, the snow continued to fall outside, adding another layer of quiet beauty to the winter afternoon. The two friends sat in comfortable silence for a moment, each reflecting on the changes and opportunities that lay ahead in the new year.

Key Takeaways

• Business owners often lose touch with their initial passion due to necessary but unfulfilling tasks
• Systematic analysis using Theory of Constraints tools can help identify and resolve these issues
• Leading with giving (free initial analysis) can build trust and create stronger business relationships
• Successful pivots often involve leveraging existing skills in new ways
• The joy of business ownership can be reclaimed through careful analysis and systematic improvement

Additional Resources

1. Theory of Constraints Institute
   • Comprehensive resources on TOC and its applications
2. The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt
   • Essential reading for understanding Theory of Constraints
3. Business Networking International (BNI)
   • Information about the world’s leading business networking organization
4. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
   • Insights into why many business owners struggle with working “in” their business versus “on” their business