I’m constantly thinking about different concepts from the real world that I can add to my arsenal if I feel like there’s a lesson I can learn.

The other day I was having a mental block trying to think through a problem for a client and nothing inspirational was bubbling up. So I decided to take a break and go for a walk around the neighbourhood. For some reason, there aren’t many other things that will clear my head or give me inspiration like a slow walk on a sunny day.

As I was passing each house, I noticed that many of them had beautiful gardens, which is something I aspire to having one day. What struck me was that no garden was like the next in its size, variety of plants, arrangements, or general vitality. But all of them looked vibrant and full of life and it made me want to stare at them for hours!

Then out of nowhere, a question popped up in my head…

What makes gardens grow to be so beautiful?

At face value, the answer is simple. Get some seeds, then plant and water them regularly until you see flowers.

But when you start to investigate what actually happens, the insights are astonishing.

There are a few key elements to growing a beautiful garden:

– The Gardener
– The Seeds
– The Layout
– The Soil
– The Weather Conditions
– Water and Nutrition

With time, each of these play a role in creating a masterpiece.

What’s really interesting is that the Gardener has a direct influence on everything except for weather conditions and time. They’ve got almost full control on everything else, and yet, the flowers grow ON THEIR OWN and NOT through the Gardener’s divine willpower. All the Gardener does is give the seeds what they need and then they do what they do best… GROW!

How does this relate to business? Let’s take a look at the elements again and make the analogy.

– The Gardener is the Business Owner
– The Seeds are the Employees
– The Layout is how the business expresses itself (branding, marketing, design, etc)
– The Soil is Company Culture and Values
– The Weather is Market Conditions
– Nutrition is Training and Support Systems

Do you see the similarities?

The reality is that you can’t force your customers to walk in and buy your product or service. But if you give your business what it needs and focus on creating value first, with time and good conditions, your business will bloom ON IT’S OWN.

When customers see the value you’ve created, they will buy of their own free will, and with a smile!