Basile Lemba

Big businesses get most of the headlines. Small businesses keep America running. In Texas, 99.8% of all businesses are small businesses. And across rural America, small businesses account for more than half of employment. As a small business owner for more than 14 years, I know both the rewards and the challenges. Yesterday I spoke with small business owners in Brewster County, the largest county in Texas, about a simple question, "Are you spending your time where your customers see the most value?" I shared three ways to think about the work: 1. The basics -- These are the minimum expectations: answering the phone, being open during posted hours, being staffed appropriately, processing payments smoothly, providing accurate information and following through reliably. You don’t get extra credit when these things work. Customers only notice when they don’t. Of course, business owners know that keeping those “basic” things running can sometimes require a Herculean effort. 2. The performance sweet spot -- This is what you’re known for, the part of your business where better performance leads to greater customer satisfaction. You need to be crystal clear about what this is because drift happens easily. And customer expectations change. What distinguished you 10 years ago may be considered standard today. 3. The delighters -- These are the small, unexpected things customers remember: using someone’s name, anticipating a need, solving a problem early or adding a thoughtful personal touch. Delighters don’t have to be expensive or elaborate. They signal that you care. And when customers feel cared for, they come back and tell other people. Here’s the honest question: ❓ How much of your time is being consumed by the basics? For many businesses, the answer is most of it. What could you eliminate, simplify, document, delegate or improve (possibly with AI)? Where could a virtual assistant or a clearer process reduce friction? Then ask yourself what small delighter could we add that our customers would genuinely value? Little things can make a huge difference. Let me know where is your business spending most of its time and what could become one of your delighters? 👇

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OWN YOUR LEGACY 31-Day Entrepreneur & Authorpreneur Challenge Presented by Dr. Leroy McKenzie Jr. The Impact Builder Day 25 Daily Focus Own the Collaboration That Multiplies Your Legacy The Impact Builder Standard Legacy is rarely built at its greatest capacity alone. Strategic collaboration allows you to combine expertise, audiences, resources, access, and ideas to create an impact neither party could produce at the same level independently. The goal isn't simply to know more people—it is to build with the right people. Daily Challenge Today, identify ONE person, business, author, organization, or platform whose mission complements what you're building. Not someone who simply has a large following. Look for alignment. Ask yourself: *What do they offer, deliver, or produce that complements what I do? *What do I bring that could strengthen what they're already building? *Do we serve similar people without directly competing for the same solution? *What could we create together that would provide greater value than either of us could create separately? *Could this relationship expand impact, access, resources, revenue, or community for both parties? Now take the challenge beyond networking. Create a simple Collaboration Value Exchange: I BRING: Write three assets you bring to the relationship—expertise, audience, intellectual property, platform, relationships, resources, credibility, technology, distribution, or access. THEY BRING: Identify three complementary assets they possess. WE COULD BUILD: Identify ONE tangible opportunity you could potentially create together—a workshop, event, content series, book initiative, referral relationship, bundled service, community program, strategic alliance, or other mutually beneficial opportunity. Then make the connection today. Don't send: "We should collaborate sometime." Approach them with a clear idea of why the relationship makes sense, what value you bring, and what you believe could be created together. The Impact Builder Challenge Networking asks, “Who do I know?” Collaboration asks, “What can we build together?” Own your legacy by developing relationships that multiply resources, expand access, create opportunities, and produce greater impact. You don't have to own every piece of the ecosystem—you need to know how to strategically connect the pieces so everyone,e becomes stronger.

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