"Four Boys on a Sled", Norman Rockwell

It’s been said before that the best life lessons come from Nature (or something to that effect).  So taking that mantra to heart, here are four business lessons that I learned from tobogganing (sledding) with my toddler.

p.s. - If you live in a Southern region and have absolutely no idea what I am talking about – you are cordially invited to come tobogganing with us.

p.p.s - winter lasts for 5-7 months a year here in Canada; lots of time to experience it first hand!

 p.p.p.s.- bring hat, mitts, warm socks and long underwear.

1.  Everyone  starts at the bottom

Yes, you need to haul that toboggan up the hill.  Waaaaaaaay up.

It takes work to hike a hill in knee deep snow while pulling a 30lb kid on the back (my legs are still sore). And just like getting your business off the ground, you need to do a lot of heavy pulling in the beginning.  Such as establishing your brand, website, retail strategy, suppliers, marketing plan, etc.  There are no short-cuts. We all have to start at the bottom, and work our way up.

2. Sudden shifts in direction may create unexpected (and unwanted) surprises

Here’s what I learned after spontaneously yanking the toboggan in a totally different direction: you end up submerged in snow.  Worse, your kid falls off and lands face down in the snow before tumbling down the hillside.

When sledding, sudden and unplanned change in direction wind up being ineffective, even painful.  Similarly, rapid change in direction (focus) for your business may do more harm than good. Yes, business moves at the speed of light these days. But ‘fast’ doesn’t mean ‘smart’.  A little bit of research, reflection and foresight can save a lot of expense and hassle. Or as in my toddler’s case, wipe outs.

3. Tread carefully around major obstacles.  And don’t flirt with danger.

When tobogganing, watch out for trees, lamp posts or luge-inspired hills.  And avoid yellow snow at all costs.

Tobogganing has one of the highest rates of brain injury for kids. Scary stats for such a nostalgic, Norman Rockwell-inspired recreational activity.  So using common sense and being careful seem obvious, right? Yet it’s amazing how many businesses (big and small) do radical moves that risk their brand, customer relationships, and ultimately, their sales.

Remember Tropicana’sdisastrous packaging redesign last year? Consumer outrage was so strong, that Pepsi went back to the original packaging shortly after. Right after sales tanked. I guess they didn’t learn anything from the New Coke reformulation mega-disaster in the 80′s. WHY?! Things were gliding along smoothly for both brands before they messed with a good thing. Yes, calculated risk taking is a vital part of business. Taking wild risks is irresponsible.

4. Assess and Adjust as You Go Along.

Barrelling ahead at fast speeds is actually more complicated than you may think.  You need to frequently recalibrate – shifting your weight from side to side – to avoid obstacles, so you can go the full distance.

Tobogganing is dynamic, just like your business.  Map out what direction you are headed in (your business plan), and be prepared to make ongoing, incremental shifts in direction (contingency plans, such as a competitive response plan) to ensure that you are on the right path. Most business success is the result of frequent improvements and invention; not one solitary breakthrough that is a game breaker.

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Tobogganing is pretty exhausting, but it’s also tremendously fun.  So is running a business.  And for every euphoric moment (speeding down a hill) there is another hard reality (slog back uphill). Yet we keep on doing it, over and over again.  Maybe we enjoy what Nature provides for us. Just remember: avoid yellow snow at all costs.