Last week I looked at four things you could do to grow your business, even when times were tough:

1. Getting help
2. Playing to your strengths
3. Growing at a modest pace
4. Getting some trusted advisors

This week I'm adding three more things.

5. Get the right people involved
I talked last week about getting extra help and playing to your strengths. Given this, it seems pretty obvious to me then that when you recruit people you shouldn't go and recruit people in your own image. However, seeing as you're hopefully very comfortable with yourself, it's a very natural thing to do. Stop. Get someone else you know and trust involved in the recruitment process. Check references. Find out what real experience potential recruits have. Test how relevant their experience is to your business.

6. Be honest with yourself
You would not be human if you were not worried about something and didn't feel less than 100% sure of yourself in some particular aspect of your business, professional (or private) life. Spend time with those trusted advisors mentioned earlier - and with friends too - making sure that you really understand what your strengths are. As you develop a feeling for these, you'll automatically develop an additional feeling for the natural opposite - stuff that you're really not that good at. However, because you are developing a better grasp of what you're good at, the thing things you're not so good at will no longer seem as threatening. And once something isn't threatening, it's a whole pile easier to ask for help.

7. Be brave
I can clearly remember our pet tortoise saying to me one day, "You know Chris, if I don't stick my neck out, I don't get anywhere." We all know how comfortable 'comfort zones' are - that's why they have the name they have. I might not know exactly where the future growth of your business is, but I do know one thing for sure; it's not inside your comfort zone.

As usual, please do keep in touch and send me your thoughts, comments and questions directly.

Best wishes to all.

Chris Davidson
Editor, Professional Speakers Journal
editor@professionalspeakersjournal.com