Looking back over the past 35 years of running and growing my own business, I reckon two simple questions have made more difference than almost anything else I've done.

They're not complicated. They don't require a business degree, an expensive consultant or a fancy spreadsheet.

But they do require you to think differently.

And whether you're running an independent butchers, a farm shop or another retail business, I believe they're worth asking regularly.

1. Is There a Better Way?

This is a question I've probably asked myself thousands of times over the years.

"Is there a better way?"

Whether it's how we run our operations, organise production, manage our team, market our products or serve our customers, I've consistently challenged myself with that question.

Because here's something I've learnt.

Just because you've always done something a certain way doesn't mean it's the best way to do it.

And that's particularly relevant in retail.

It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day running of a busy shop. You're dealing with customers, managing staff, ordering stock, sorting out problems and trying to keep everything moving.

Before you know it, another week has disappeared.

And the things you've always done? Well, you just keep doing them.

Not necessarily because they're the best way, but because they're familiar.

Sometimes the Smallest Changes Make the Biggest Difference

Recently, we had an interesting conversation in our Impact Retail Success Club WhatsApp group about Christmas.

For independent food retailers, Christmas can be one of the busiest and most demanding periods of the year.

And it's very easy to repeat the same systems, procedures and routines year after year.

Along with the same frustrations!

But what if there was a better way?

What if we could simplify our Christmas ordering process? Improve how we communicate with customers? Reduce mistakes? Or simply make life a little easier for ourselves and our teams?

You don't necessarily need to reinvent your business.

Sometimes improving one small part of an operation can make an enormous difference.

The same applies to the products we sell.

Can we improve the quality? The presentation? The consistency? Can we make something more appealing or easier for customers to prepare?

There's nearly always something we can do better.

But first, we have to be prepared to ask the question.

2. What Would We Have to Do?

My second question is slightly different.

"What would we have to do?"

This one starts with something I believe is absolutely essential in business.

Clarity.

Because before you can work out how to achieve something, you need to know exactly what you're trying to achieve.

For example:

• What would we have to do to increase sales by 20%?

• What would we have to do to double our profits?

• What would we have to do to reduce waste by half?

• What would we have to do to give ourselves an extra day off every week?

• What would we have to do to build a business that doesn't depend on us being there every day?

Now, notice something about those questions.

I'm not asking whether we can do it.

I'm asking what we'd have to do to make it happen.

And that's a very different conversation.

Instead of immediately finding reasons why something isn't possible, you start looking for solutions.

You begin identifying the changes, resources, people, systems or decisions that would be needed to achieve your goal.

Of course, that doesn't mean every idea is achievable or sensible.

But at least you're exploring what's possible rather than dismissing it before you've properly considered it.

Better Questions Are Only the Beginning

As I write this, I'm heading out to Philadelphia for a three-day meeting with my own retail mastermind group.

Three days away from the day-to-day running of my business, surrounded by other business owners, sharing experiences, challenging each other's thinking and looking for better ways to do things.

And despite having been in business for 35 years, I'm still learning.

I expect I'll come home with a notebook full of ideas.

But here's the thing.

The real value won't be in the notebook.

It'll be in what I actually do with those ideas when I get home.

Because you can attend all the meetings, read all the books, listen to all the podcasts and ask all the questions you like.

But unless you take action, nothing changes.

Better questions lead to better answers. And taking action on those answers is what gets results.

The Value of Being Challenged

One of the reasons I enjoy being part of my own mastermind group is that other business owners see things differently.

They ask questions I might not have thought of.

They challenge assumptions.

And sometimes they'll point out something that's been staring me in the face for years!

That's also one of the reasons I created the Impact Retail Success Club.

Running an independent retail business can be a lonely place, particularly when you're responsible for making all the decisions.

Having other ambitious retailers around you who are willing to share their experiences, challenge your thinking and hold you accountable can make an enormous difference.

It's not about having all the answers.

It's about being prepared to ask better questions, listen to different perspectives and do something with what you learn.

Two Questions to Ask Yourself This Week

So here's a little challenge.

Take ten minutes away from the day-to-day running of your business and ask yourself two questions.

1. Is there a better way?

Think about something that's frustrating you, costing you money, wasting time or making life unnecessarily difficult.

Could you approach it differently?

2. What would we have to do?

Think about something you'd really like to achieve over the next 12 months.

Get clear on the outcome, then start working backwards to identify what needs to happen.

And most importantly, take action.

You might be surprised where those two simple questions take you.

They've certainly served me well over the years.

Want to Be Part of the Conversation?

These are exactly the kinds of conversations we have inside the Impact Retail Success Club.

Independent butchers, farm shop owners and other ambitious food retailers sharing ideas, challenging each other's thinking and helping one another build better businesses.

If you'd like to find out more about joining us, get in touch. I'd be happy to have a chat.

Mark Turnbull

Founder, Impact Retail Success Club