Don’t Spend Money on Learning

Hands with money and plant

Invest it!

Too often, business owners and entrepreneurs forego educational opportunities and occasions to learn because they cost money. Oh, they’ll spend money on advertising, or sales collateral, or even a new point-of-sale system. But when it comes to researching customers to serve them better, or worse yet, adding new skills  to their own personal toolkit, they try to only use the “free” option. This is wrong-headed thinking, in our opinion. Why do we think that?

We believe spending money to learn is an investment. Investing in customer research can help you target more effectively, or move into more productive markets. Investing in tools or skills that make you more productive and a better seller will pay dividends to your business in short order. Thinking of either of these things as “spending” is a little like saving for retirement by putting your money in a sock under your mattress.

Of course you can’t invest your money everywhere – so just like that retirement fund, you’ll need to do some research to find what works best for you. And also like your other investments, you may have trouble figuring out just what that is. If that’s the case, find yourself a coach who can help you evaluate your options.

There’s a new skill or new information out there that will help your business grow. Start looking for your next investment, today.

I’m Megann Willson, and I’m one of the Founders and Partners at PANOPTIKA. If you’re having trouble prioritizing your career or business investments, I can help. With frameworks to help allocate their resources, we help our clients make better decisions. Feeling social? Follow on Twitter, on LinkedIn, or on Facebook. And if you want business and career tips, book recommendations, and more, push the button below to subscribe to our weekly news.