This year will be 16 years since I became the owner of Jones And Co. Styling Opticians. 16 years, a lot of hard work, and believe me, never a dull moment. Most practices by 16 years in are just stuck in the status quo. Incredibly, most businesses, within just a few short years of their inception fall into the trap of saying ‘but that’s the way we’ve always done it’ thereby securing their mediocrity. To me, and the team, Jones And Co. still feels like a new business.
Amazon has been going for over twenty years. Jeff Bezos, the owner and founder writes a shareholder letter every year but his closing statement at the end of the letter remains the same every year:
“As always, I attach a copy of our original 1997 letter. It remains Day 1.”
What Bezos means by Day 1, is that he has created a culture at Amazon that is the opposite of status quo. 20 plus years in, they still keep behaving like a new company, obsessing over customers, and constantly inventing on behalf of customers.
Because the moment you think you have arrived, the instant you start to think you have it all figured out and can just run on cruise control is when things start to ever so slightly go South.
Resting on our laurels or thinking we know it all and are above learning, practicing and improving is something I have never permitted at Jones And Co. If you allow ego and ‘too smart for the room’ thinking into your practice it really is a death wish and needs to be stamped out.
When I bought the practice in 2009 Kathryn was the only staff person I inherited. Carina was my first hire at Jones And Co. and was also there on day one. It’s not just luck that they are both still on my team and performing at a high level 16 years later. I believe it is because they are both still engaged with their work because I keep it engaging. You can’t work at Jones And Co. or any business that is striving to stay on top and be on cruise control. We are constantly pushing forward, trying new things, collectively and individually expanding comfort zones.
The world is constantly evolving and if we want to stay relevant, we must evolve too. If you want to keep your client’s interest and retain them as clients and have them speak passionately about your practice and be true ambassadors for your business, then you must keep presenting new and exciting elements to what you do. That doesn’t mean that strategically, you run all over the place like a headless chicken. You can stick to your core strategy and be very focused on what your strengths are and what your unique selling proposition is, but you can keep presenting it in fresh ways. Our frame collections are a good example. We have worked with Theo and Anne et Valentin and many others since day one in Jones And Co. yet we continually present them as ‘new’ by creating fanfare, telling stories of the latest trade fair trip, showcasing the newest styles, new colours, and limited-edition models. We create fanfare with themed events. We know how to create excitement and enthusiasm for what we do and that is vital.
On a team level, I can’t overstate the importance of having a culture of ‘Constant And Never-ending Improvement.’ This is what keeps things fresh and engaging for your team. Gallup studies have shown that over 70% of the workforce are unengaged with their work and just going through the motions. The ones who are engaged exhibit 3 elements that make them engage with their work. One, mastery – they feel they are growing and learning and improving their core skills. Two, Autonomy – they don’t feel micromanaged, but have some space to make their own decisions in their work. Three, Purpose – they see their work as fulfilling some higher purpose beyond just selling glasses. They feel they are actually making a difference in the lives of the clients they serve.