As a small business owner, do you pay attention to the smart people you run across? I try to. As I’ve grown older, I’ve realized that wisdom (ideas, knowledge, inspiration) can come from some unlikely sources. When it happens, I need to be paying attention.

One person I’ve run across that I pay attention to is Seth Godin. Maybe you’ve heard of him; maybe not. I really admire Seth; he’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever read. He’s a giver and I’m a taker . It works out great. (Of course, I support his work, too; I buy his books.)

As small business owners we need to be on the lookout for smart people. They don’t have to have a degree from Stanford to have great ideas. The average, ordinary people in our lives can inspire us, give us a brilliant idea or maybe just make us take a pause to think about something that is important for us right now.

They give. We take. We grow. We move on.

Keep an eye out; you never know who the next smart person will be for you. Maybe the the grandmother next door, the paperboy or the guy that’s been coming to your shop for 10 years. That idea that will transform your company (personal life, church, civic organization) could be right around the corner.

When you take … run with it. Don’t stop and think yourself out of it. Don’t underestimate that urgency inside that says, “This is an awesome idea!” Run until you cross the finish line. And, be genuinely thankful for the smart people.

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What are your thoughts? Post a comment and let’s talk.

Do you have questions about what how you can leverage the Internet to improve your customer experience and boost your company’s performance? Just ask.