What Things Are You Tolerating in Your Business?

On Thursday, I took delivery of a new bed.

It’s been a six-month drama.

It started way back in 2023 when I ordered a new bed that I believed would be a game changer for my sleep.

Following two delays, it eventually got delivered in January.

Sadly, when it arrived it was broken and it had no headboard.

I was, however, still able to sleep on it.

I was so excited to try out my new mattress – my sleep was going to be so much better.

After my first few nights with the new mattress, I wasn’t convinced.

My sleep hadn’t been much better.

I thought of numerous excuses as to why it wasn’t the mattress.

I’d paid too much money for it to be the mattress.

I decided to stick with it.

After six weeks, my sleep was still no better and I’d heard nothing about the replacement parts or the bedhead.

Annoyingly, I decided to call the manufacturer.

It didn’t go well and in a split-second moment, I decided to tell them how disappointed I was with the bed, and that instead of dragging their heels over the missing parts, could they please just come and take it away.

They agreed.

And they did.

And I had no bed.

I needed to order another new bed, from a different manufacturer.

I did.

And it was delivered in half the time of the original bed.

And my sleep has been amazing – one might say, game changing.

Why didn’t I just do it sooner?

It reminded me of being in business.

As a business owner, way too often you’ll find yourself tolerating things that aren’t right.

You convince yourself it’s fine.

Your team.

Your suppliers.

Your operations.

You tolerate them because you think you have to.

You think you don’t have a choice.

But the truth is, you do.

You get to choose.

You’re in control.

If you’re tolerating things that you don’t want to tolerate, stop putting up with whatever it is.

Just as I was left without a bed, you may have some short-term pain, but the long-term gain will be so much better.

If this is resonating with you, then STOP tolerating whatever it is that it’s resonating with you.

It’s time for you to take back control.

To run your business the way you want to run it.

Just like my story above, put the matter to bed.

Have a great week.

Mark