I remember when I first started meeting with my mentor, and we were texting around Christmas time in 2014. I was asking him questions and our conversation went something like this:

 

Tim: What exactly do you want to know?

 

Me: I want to know everything you know.

 

Tim: Well how big is your library?

 

Me: I think there’s a public library out here, but I’ve never been to it.

 

Tim: No. YOUR library. How many books do you have?

 

Me: Ohhh. I have the Bible lol.

 

Tim: lol well it’s going to take more than that

 

And that’s when it began. The very first book he recommended I read was E-myth revisited by Michael Gerber. I didn’t order the book and start reading until months after he’d told me (which was exactly why I needed to read it).

 

When I finally began reading the book my mindset was instantly changed. It was like as I was reading he was talking directly to me, telling me what I’m doing wrong. Being the entrepreneur, the manager, and the technician was hindering my success. I was in a hamster wheel going fast as possible but not really going anywhere. Until I had slowed down and strategically planned to grow, my business wasn’t going to grow.

 

After reading the first chapter, my business began to grow because my knowledge had grown. I was so excited that I begin implementing, and had to control myself to take the time out to continue reading the book so that I could finish it completely.

 

This was the beginning of significant growth for my business. What reading does for me is spark new ideas. Every time I read, listen to an audiobook, or watch a YouTube video about business, ideas begin to form and I immediately start implementing.

 

Here’s my golden nugget; if I want my business to grow, I need for my knowledge to grow. For my knowledge to grow I need to read and I need to listen. This can be reading a short article. Or even listening and paying attention to the market.

 

Reading and listening gives me a birds-eye-view of my business. I’m not saying that this works for everyone, but for me, it works like a charm.  Especially considering that I’ve never been a reader. I’ve rarely had to read or study for tests at school, I’ve never read for leisure, and to be honest I’ve never even enjoyed reading. Maybe it was just because there wasn’t anything that vastly interested me… until now.