Start making mistakes and start succeeding. Inc. magazine columnist Carey Smith warns against seeking business expert advice without factoring in what you can learn from making mistakes.

“It's like buying a suit off the rack. Someone designed that garment to mostly fit a large number of people, which means it doesn't fit anyone perfectly. Every business is unique. Even two McDonald's franchisees in the same city have different businesses because they're on different corners. Like a well-made suit, learning how to run your business comes at a cost. If you think that means spending $23.99 at the bookstore, you're on the wrong track. The only valid currency here is your own time and failure,” Smith writes.

This perspective is a good fit for the rural lifestyle market. The diversity of our customer base combined with the constant new model introductions means your business can start fresh on a regular basis. And taking risks with sales and marketing and even new hires could mean you make lots of mistakes. Be open to the fact that mistakes could be just what you need to grow your dealership.

 Read Carey Smith’s column.