What’s Your Style?

How important is style in your business? Do you have style? Do you need style? First you have to know what style is? In the art world many artists seek style, it shows independence, it shows uniqueness. Style can set artists apart and give them a leg up in their career above others in the same field. The problem with style is that it has so many components that it can take years to come to the table. For an artist, style can be a the way they use brush strokes, how they compose a picture and much more. What about business and entrepreneurs, how do you get style if you’re not an artist?

Every entrepreneur or business has a style, some wild and some drab. Like an artists style, a business has it’s own style. That style includes the operations, the product or service, the staff, customer service, and the equipment or talent involved. Styles include the type of marketing or networking that you do, how you deal with people, and the integrity of your company or brand. Do you stand behind your product or service? Do you focus on quality or quantity in your product line or service? What are the goals for your company, are you building it to sell, retire, inspire, or pass on to others? All of these decisions determine your style. The problem with style that I have found as an artist is that you can’t push it. It will come out on its own over time and when you look back after ten or twenty years you will see how you have built your business and the road that you traveled down with your business. So how do you start down the road of creating your style?

As mentioned the style will come on its own so don’t try to have a style, just be yourself. Build your business the way you see fit, treat people the way you would want to be treated, offer the best product or service that you can and you will see your style come to the forefront on its own. If you try to force style and be something you’re not, it will look phoney and your business will come off as fake and untrustworthy. Style is you or the brand of your business and is intertwined with values and integrity of the people or brand. I have found that doing your best will help bring the best brand and style to the forefront for your business. Enjoy your life and you will create a style that you will be proud of for the long run.

About the Author
Bruce Outridge is an artist, author, entrepreneur, and speaker from Southern Ontario. He is the author of a number of business and leadership books for the arts and transportation industry. For more information on Bruce and his work please visit his website at www.outridgeenterprises.ca