This is a fun question to contemplate and one that I like to ask as a consultant when working with small business owners. The answers open the door to how an owner is currently thinking about the business.

So what would you do? If your immediate response is, "I would close this place down and be on the next plane to Hawaii!" well that probably tells me you are not all that thrilled with the business any more and would almost be willing to do anything other than working in your business.

There can be many reasons for this and believe me you would not be the first small business owner to feel this way. But what are you telling yourself? What is going on?

Goals and Purposes are the first place I dive into when I get this kind of response from an owner. What was your reason for starting the business in the first place, and where are you on your path to achieving that purpose, or goal?

I received a call the other day that made me think of writing this article. This particular fellow has been running a fairly successful business in the Chicago area for over 20 years, has enjoyed the freedom and challenges of owning his own business, but suddenly his pilot light was out. He wanted out.

Read entire article