No, those aren’t titles of Seinfeld Episodes, although they really could be, they are a few experiences I’ve had in my life that I wanted to share.

The Car Accident and the Criminal
I was 16 and I’d had my license for a few days when I took my first trip to the store. There I was, proud as punch in my parent’s LTD Station Wagon with wood grain on the side, running my errand and stopping at the gas station.

I filled up and I was pulling out, I turned the wheels the wrong way and BOOM – smacked into a car in the lot and put a 3-foot dent into it. I was in full-on panic mode. I got out and realized there was no damage to my car. A man in the lot saw what happened and came over to help. He told me to just leave, that the car I hit had been parked there for months and no one would be the wiser.

This was one of my first lessons in integrity. I thanked the man for helping me with my car, but I did the right thing and left my name and number on the damaged car.

When I got home, the owner of the car actually called, screaming at me, and my dad called the police to report the accident. Turns out, this man had a warrant out for his arrest.

Integrity wins! I did the right thing AND helped get a wanted criminal off the streets. The only bruise was to my ego and that soon faded.

This was one of the first big mistakes I remember making in my life and it made me think about my business. Integrity has always been forefront. And even when times got scary and I felt unsure, I always believed, and believe today, that doing the right thing, telling the truth and trying your best is the answer.

Lost On Route 3
Another mistake I can remember is the time I was headed to a conference and wasn’t too sure on directions. Someone I trusted told me to take Route 3 and I’d hit it. Well, 2.5 hours later I made it, but it should have only taken an hour. Whoops! 75 miles out of the way and a lot of pounding on the steering wheel in frustration, a lesson learned.

I now always look at a map and this applies to business, too. A roadmap for your business is vital. You can’t just get into the car and drive. You can’t do something just because someone told you it was the right way. You need a plan and as my coach would say, you need to consistently take action on that plan. Know where you want to go and what steps you need to take in order to get there.

The Rental Car Debacle
My final story is about a trip I took to Tampa, Florida a few years ago for a wedding. My initial flight was canceled, so I found another flight that would take me to Orlando, just a few hours away. No worries, right? I’d just get a rental car upon landing. Well, it was Spring Break, a super busy season and when I called for a car to pick up in Orlando and drop off in Tampa, there were NONE.

I was freaking out. Not only was I afraid of missing the wedding festivities, I also had tickets to a Phillies game that afternoon that I was desperate to get to.

My coach’s voice was in my head again. She always teaches on what CAN you do. So, I tried a different attempt.

I called to see if there was a car I could pick up AND drop off in Orlando, and voila! Success. Not to mention, I called the Phillies administration and they allowed me to exchange my Friday ticket for a Monday ticket. I not only made it to all the wedding festivities, I made the bonus game! And I totally dropped the car off in Tampa, instead of Orlando and simply paid a nominal drop-off fee. Absolutely worth it.

Don’t ever stop trying and looking at different angles in your business. I could have given up that day and missed events; instead, I knew I was going to do everything I could to keep my plans in place.

The lessons learned are simple.

Integrity always.
Maps are a must.
Do what you can.

Think about the year so far. We are almost halfway through, which is astounding. Any big changes to your income? Are you budgeting for taxes? Any new products or services you want to launch and are unsure about expenses?

If you need help planning your business finances, let’s get on the phone.