Last September I used orchards as a metaphor for our business and connections. The moral of that metaphor was to “let the bad apples fall,” letting go of things in your business that just don’t work for your company. This could be a client or prospective client whose expectations don’t align with yours, a contact that is not making the effort to connect, or anything that is holding your business back. This year I want to return to the orchard as a metaphor, but to ask, what about the things in our business that do work? How should we encourage good apples?

I visited an apple orchard earlier this fall with my family. One of the things that impressed me the most was the additional activities beyond simply apple picking. There was a whole area set up outside of the orchard that you did not have to pay to enter. They had goats, an obvious draw for passersby. There was also a large playground, which was free, along with multiple food vendors. Children who came to the orchard in hopes of petting and feeding the goats would find that area very inviting as well as the parents! It was a great way of keeping people entertained who might not want to pick apples. I think we can learn a lesson from this orchard – diversity. That apple orchard was very clever, drawing in new customers and finding new revenue streams. What else can your company do? Can you find some new possibilities for revenue?

Another thing about apple orchards is that they are a long-term investment. It takes years before a sapling becomes an adult tree able to produce fruit. Nurturing apple trees is a long, involved process, but it produces sweet rewards. Young seedlings must be protected and pruned properly in order to grow to the proper size. So too is your business. As much as we might want results right now, it might be years before your management or policies have the desired results. Relationships also take time to grow and nurture. I was recently contacted by a business owner whom I met several years ago. The time back then was not right for our businesses to work together, however, this year, it became a recurring business client for us. Sometimes you just have to be patient as you guide your business towards its goals. And yet this requires a good deal of insight – how can we tell if what you are proposing works for the company or is a bad apple that should be cut loose? Make sure you are paying attention to each step of the process and logically evaluate its effects. Let’s make sure to nurture the good ideas and let the bad ones go.