Staying in My Niche

It is so tempting to branch out in my niche. The computer industry has so many interesting facets that I want to learn all of them. However, I have to realize that there is just not enough time. I have to keep asking myself if this is an area where I can know someone that knows it much better than I do. Then I can call on that person.

I guess it goes back to that old saying of “stick to your knitting”. Since I never really learned to knit that phrase did not mean a lot until this week. On Monday I was in a webinar when the host said that people need to learn to stick to what they do best. The added costs for new areas start taking away profit. They may look good but they may not really be good if the overhead increases.

This morning I turned down a potential income producer. It was not really a fit to my business. It would have been a side area and stretched me further. It was not easy to so no. I thought about this for a few weeks. I thought about how to make it work with the business. I thought about the potential with this partner. After that webinar on Monday, I realized that I needed to hear that. The idea did not fit.

I think we are all learning that we cannot do it all. We can try. We can tell ourselves that multitasking works. For example, I am running the sprinkler while I am working at home this morning. This means that when I complete a task I check the time and go move the sprinkler if time. Otherwise I go on to the next task. If that part of the yard gets more water, then so be it. I am not jumping up at set times. The work tasks take priority. (Yes, I have thought of a water system but this yard has some parts that need watering more often than others.)

Now I am looking at other businesses that have branched out. I was in the banking industry when the deregulation started. Maybe branching out is a warning sign about companies. I wonder if it fits governments, especially the municipalities and the problems they are now having. Did they try to do too much?