Have you noticed that most businesses start with a lot of enthusiasm and over time, most of them loose that touch and become somewhat dull? In contrast, think about other businesses that seem to have a steady growth pace and the spark is somehow always maintained. This observation came about during a conversation with a business coach with over half a decade of experience and a renowned Entrepreneur at a launch meeting. As the conversation evolved it brought about a very important question. A question all business owners /entrepreneurs must ask themselves constantly as they go through the journey.
‘Why do some businesses start with so much zest and overtime witness a decline in innovation and creativity?’
If one were to reflect on this question from a national perspective, it would be: as the nation’s business sector continues to reach new heights, can creative complacency threaten the long-term sustainability and growth of businesses?
But why is this phenomenon happening one may ask, what is causing this complacency or decrease in creativity and innovation as businesses grow? In this article, we delve into one of the reasons behind this phenomenon, we explore the concept of a “creative rut” — a situation akin to writer’s block but applicable to entrepreneurs across various fields. The underlying causes of a creative rut range from psychological factors to external pressures and stressors, manifesting at different stages of the entrepreneurial journey.
Consider the following scenario: You are sitting in a restaurant you once loved so much but now, you no longer feel the spark, the menu no longer appeals to you, the environment no longer has that exciting factor. It feels like the restaurant owners have become comfortable; they no longer pay attention to the little details like they once did. It is no longer up to the standard that you once knew, and as a client, you feel affected/disappointed by this inconsistency, you feel like your needs are no longer met. It also feels like the times have changed, there are new competitors on the market and yet this restaurant did not grow with the changing times.
It is easy to look at this from a client perspective and point fingers. but pause! put yourself in the restaurant owners’ shoes for a moment. As an entrepreneur, you dedicate your time, blood, sweat, and energy to ensuring that your business is running. This means, spending many hours figuring out all the logistics and making all the business decisions. Over time this can feel more like a routine and soon enough you find yourself in the same shoes as this restaurant owner. Your business is slowly losing its spark, you no longer pay attention to your clients’ changing needs and the creative innovation is slowly falling into the cracks. Diane Izabayo, Business coach at BPN Rwanda, emphasizes the importance of recognizing that the customer is king, and creative solutions bring added advantages such as staying relevant, boosting customer retention rates, and gaining new customers. She defines ‘creative innovation’, as
“Finding the most relevant and fulfilling solutions to customer needs.”
As an entrepreneur, you must realize firstly that creativity is not just an attribute or a talent, it is a skill that can be harnessed by anyone willing to be inspired by daily actions. At every stage of the business growth, collaboration within a business can be a catalyst for creativity. Here are some ways that can help you instill more creative innovation in your business and keep the creative juices flowing.
1.Go back to basics: First remember what exactly makes you stand out, what is the secret sauce, the differentiating factor of your business. It all comes down to knowing who you are, your business identity, and perfecting those remarkable traditions. Revisit the initial vision! Perhaps you might have forgotten why you started the business in the first place. Go back to the blueprint and check if your business is still in line with its original vision. Remember the why of your business, the vision and direction you had put in place. Reviewing the early plans and goals allow you to rethink where the business is heading and allows you to put in new checkmarks to ensure that you create and innovate within the vision.
2. Engage a partner for growth: As an entrepreneur, you can get to a point where you lack a new challenge, especially when you have achieved previous goals. It might become though to see beyond where you are. If you cannot see beyond yourself, get someone to challenge you. The best partners for growth are business coaches, these are individuals who can be a sounding board and people who will help you see beyond yourself. Despite coaching being a relatively new concept in Rwanda, entrepreneurs are encouraged to explore its benefits.
3. Look into the Values of the business: As the business evolves, it is imperative that the entrepreneur adjusts their approach to creativity, making it a cornerstone for sustainable growth and innovation. One of the strategies can be to foster an environment, a culture, where creativity is embraced. If creativity and innovation were never part of your values in business, then it becomes difficult to preserve what was not there in the first place. Establish guidelines and specific direction around instilling innovation as one of your values and have a clear structure to make sure that you follow those guidelines when creating and innovating. Keep curators and checkmarks to maintain a parallel to growth, while incorporating modernity and the change in times.
Consider leveraging the collective strength, different perspectives and skills sets from your team. Creativity is not something for a special group, it is a mindset, something that can be built on, learnt, and developed. Be inspired by your environment, being vulnerable to share that process with your team. They are the ones who are in the details, they can see deeper and can foster impactful innovation.
4. Customer centricity: Reflect on the “why” behind the business’s existence and ensure alignment with the needs and desires of your customers. The question of “whom am I doing this for?” should guide innovation efforts, emphasizing a customer-centric approach to creativity.
“Identify the vision and mission, then set standards from there” ~ Nicole Bamukunde
Dear entrepreneurs, don’t sit around and wait to die : Adapt to the season and stages you are in, be inspired to do better , to go beyond where you are now: harness your creative path, be excited , find collaborators, share with your team, make them part of the process , be part of the whole eco system , collaborate to foster innovation. Be curious, get out there and explore, for that extra nudge go to your coach, be challenged by the coach.
BPN remains your trusted partner, always ready and happy to support you as you grow.
