A Question on Why Your Time is Poorly Spent
Not Every Hour in Everyday is Equal
Rhetorical: With exactly 24 hours each day, how many minutes were genuinely spent generating desired results or even invested in the right action for our goals? Truth hurts, but chances are it is less than anticipated, much lesser achieved. For business owners, we strive to invest as much quality hours in generating business connections, be it closing sales or increasing our product value. We probably have textbook routines on what to do, but are they really effective?
You Have Been Dulled
Honestly, were you convinced that you have been performing optimally? Adjusted to all market changes? Met all the important people? Engaged all government incentives? Maximised current business potential? If you are tempted to say ‘yes’ to all, then you might want to take a step back. Better and improved options are made available every day, and such solutions may be what’s needed to spur your progress. You should be improvising and adjusting on a daily basis.
Not Meeting Enough People
Nobody needs to be told this, yet the common challenge is of the utmost hurdle. Where else can business personnel congregate and exchange information? While there are countless number of events out there, the situation itself is more of a problem than solution. Which ones should I go to and which ones are a waste of time? It is common to come across a few that has entirely given up sorting out and returned to mundane, possibly inefficient, online grinding.
Looking for the Industrial Forefront
There is a common ground for active networking among decision maker; the industrial forefronts. Events discussing the latest initiatives and ideas often involve both public and private sectors congregating to find common grounds. Places where visionaries and policy-makers meet often attract investment enthusiasts and business owners making B2B connections as well. The criteria for identification of such event belies in the topic and authorities involved. Screen carefully for the list of people moving the SMEs in Malaysia, and places where half of them congregate is more than often, the forefront.
More than One, More than Once
The good news? Such events are also in abundance throughout the year, often held in the vicinity of Kuala Lumpur. For example, The SME CEO Forum organised by the SME Magazine and Business Media International always features a healthy line-up of public sector leaders such as the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), SME Corporation Malaysia and the Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC). Entrepreneurs sourced from the SME100 fastest Moving Company Awards, innovation leaders for ICT sectors, Tech-titans, even financial specialist and venture capitalists build the panel of intelligence for this event. Delegates for the event are mostly business owners or corporate decision makers, making for quality networking opportunities.
Revise your Schedule
A smart business owner never fails to organise him or herself. It is common for business owners to identify an event once a month. Either to benchmark their current product value or establish new connections, these are important work that needs to be done outside of the office, amongst people. Naturally, they serve as a healthy benchmark for productivity. After all, what good is a business, if it doesn’t reach people?
