Entrepreneurial Success Quiz | Sterling & Stephen Carter

Is there a niche need that your company fills with its products or services?*
- No, we prefer to cast a wide net to get more business.
- Somewhat, we know our general audience, but I wouldn’t describe it as a niche.
- Yes, we know and market to our niche.

Would you say that leadership and staff are driven by a common purpose or goal?*
- Yes, I feel that all my employees understand and believe in the mission of the company.
- I would say that many of my employees work towards the company’s goals but certainly not all of them.
- I feel that my leadership is aligned with our mission, but I sometimes feel a disconnect with our other staff members.
- No, I feel we have a few people invested in our goals, while a majority do not understand or connect with the mission of the company.

Growth isn’t always a good thing. Has your business ever experienced growth that has diminished the quality of your products or services?*
- Yes, this has happened multiple times in my company’s history.
- No, but I feel like we are at risk for this happening.
- Yes, and we learned from that experience and try not to grow beyond our means.
- No, we’re careful when taking on new business/clients for this very reason.

Innovation is the key to staying relevant. Do you feel that you have a progressive vision for the future?*
- I often think about the future of the company, but I haven’t made a specific plan to execute against.
- I have a vision for the future and an attainable, step-by-step plan for achieving these goals.
- I have had to sacrifice long-term planning because I’m simply trying to stay afloat.
- I don’t have any specific plans for innovation, but I believe my company will still stay relevant.

Do you consider your staff’s input and insights when trying to solve big-picture issues?*
- Not currently, but I feel like they could add value to those decisions.
- No, I handle all of the big-picture problem-solving without much staff input.
- We try to, but we need a better process for collecting staff input.
- Yes, we collect and consider staff input and insights when tackling big issues.

Do you have a mentor and/or business coach?*
- Yes, and I work with them regularly to continuously refine and improve my business. I’m seeing good results from our relationship.
- Yes, but I don’t feel that I’m getting the results I’d like from our relationship.
- No, but I’m actively looking for one.
- No, I don’t have a mentor and/or business coach as I don’t feel that this is necessary.

How would you describe your current branding and marketing?*
- I’m seeing results from our marketing. It’s clear, concise, and consistent. It clearly and effectively communicates the desired message to our target audience.
- I believe it clearly conveys our message, but I’m not seeing the results I’d like from it.
- It varies and is scattered. I wouldn’t say it is a consistent campaign.
- It’s virtually non-existent. We rely on word-of-mouth for new business.

Showing you care is a big part of staying successful. Does your company have established methods to show appreciation to your employees, vendors, and customers/clients?*
- I feel that we have measures in place to show each of these stakeholders that we care about their well-being.
- I feel that we care for each of these groups of stakeholders, but we don’t have organized efforts in place for showing our dedication to each of them.
- I show appreciation on an individual basis to members of these groups when they go above and beyond.
- I don’t feel we have any established methods for showing these groups we care.

When placing a staff member in a role, do you consciously align their responsibilities with their unique strengths?*
- Yes, I make a conscious effort to match people’s unique strengths with their role and reassess if employees seem to be struggling.
- Yes, I feel that I match people with roles that are suited to them based on their past experience.
- When I hire someone to fill a position, I expect them to carry out their responsibilities without question, whether it is what they prefer to do or not.

Businesses inevitably ebb and flow. Do you have a defensive plan in place for possible worst-case scenarios (e.g. legal settlement, staffing crisis, economic downturn, etc.)?*
- Somewhat, we have buffers and safeguards, but not an established plan.
- Yes, we have backup plans in place for possible disasters.
- No, we’ll cross that bridge if we ever come to it.

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