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.

Name*
First Last
Email*
NOTE: By clicking the submit button, you are agreeing to receive email updates from The Carter Brothers. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Comments
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Does Your Business Need to Redefine Success?