Chain Reaction

It is interesting to note how often the answers to our problems sit just outside our current level of understanding. It’s almost as if we need to outgrow that which we currently find difficult, and expand, to embrace what will become our solutions. This was certainly the case for me. I can still recall the night I first decided that my work life was going to change. I was, yet again, working late after another twelve-hour day on my feet, I knew I had reached the end. I loved being a business owner, but I really didn’t know how much longer I could keep it up. My back ached, my legs were sore, and I was constantly tired. I needed rest, but how was I going to find it when there was always so much to do? When I saw early signs of varicose veins, I was concerned that I was heading toward the years of agony that my mother had experienced. Stressed and overwhelmed, I remember standing alone in my pharmacy absolutely convinced that there had to be a better way. There just had to be. I had met other entrepreneurs who seemed to have far more responsibility than I did. Yet they were relaxed, got home at a decent hour, and were even able to take regular holidays with their families. How did they do it? For some reason, on this particular night- I had had enough. I had put up with it, endured it, believing that my life would settle when my cash flow became more established. The years were rolling by and not only had things not gotten better; they’d gotten worse. On this particular night I had reached the end. Something had to change, and soon. My body was screaming at me in pain, and it was time I started listening. I needed to get it or get out. I needed to understand the game- or get out pf it altogether. There had to be a secret behind the success of other small businesses, right? At that moment, I decided I was going to find it. And that’s exactly what I did. I listened. When I went looking for answers, I went straight to the source. I sought out as many successful people as I could and I asked them how they had done it. How were they able to run multiple enterprises when I was struggling to run just one? The answers I got were not what I expected. I had expected to be told that I needed to work harder and to be prepared to bargain. I thought people found success through deception and underhanded deals, even bribes and lies. That successful people were not to be trusted was a belief I had inherited from my family. But what I discovered was far from that; in fact it was the complete opposite. The people I went on to meet were successful because they trusted others and could be trusted themselves. They lived with integrity and built networks through solid relationships. I also realised that these people were successful not just because of what they did, but because of how they thought. They had a completely different mindset to mine. They approached all situations, their business, their lives, in a way that set them up for success. They had what I now call entrepreneurial intelligence. The other thing I realised, and what I want to share with you in this book, was the power of the Chain Reaction. As time went by, and my enterprise expanded, I discovered that the more business units that operated together in a group, the easier they were to run. If they were set up correctly, owning three businesses was easier than owning one – and owning five was easier than three, ten was easier than five, and so on. It was like a domino effect where all the pieces continually fell into place as more units worked together. Sounds far-fetched, doesn’t it? Years ago, I would have thought so too. If someone had come to me when I was standing in my store late that night and told me that the solution to my situation was to buy another business, I would have told them they were crazy. But it turned out to be true. Along with the help of my business partner, Peter Gardiakos, I bought a second store- and then a third. Peter had also owned his own store, and had been experiencing a similar level of stress. Yet over time, as we introduced more stores, he too noticed the same thing, life was becoming easier. So we bought more, and once they were set up and running smoothly, we bought more still. We established pharmacies all over the Adelaide metropolitan area, and then branched out into other states. Together with a number of business partners, we now run a chain of stores right around the country and life has never been better! I’m far more relaxed and work much saner hours than I did when I was the sole owner of one store. I’m healthier. I’m happy to say that the pains in my back and legs are gone. In addition, I have finally found the financial freedom I was looking for. I’m now in my forties and have no financial concerns or constraints. Believe me, that is an incredible feeling. I can literally do what I want, when I want. But most importantly, I can spend time with my family as often as I choose. I get to see my children grow up, and I get to share their special occasions with them. Now I want to share what I have learnt with you. I want to explain the various things I’ve discovered, and show you how you can create your own Chain Reaction so that you can take your business to a whole new level. I want to show you that it is possible to have a balanced and enjoyable life and be an entrepreneur. I’m going to take you through the process of developing not only the right systems, but also the right people to run those systems. We’ll explore the secrets behind a success mindset, what it takes to be a multiple business owner, and how you can determine your own goals for the future of your enterprise. So what exactly is a Chain Reaction? In science, a chain reaction is a series of results provoked by a single event. The same can be said in business: a single business, run well, can be used as a catalyst to acquire and manage more. Once you start the ball rolling, the energy and the momentum you create feed on themselves and create greater and greater possibilities. Once your own Chain Reaction is really firing, you can aim to run a business with one hour a month. Are you finding that hard to believe? Well, it is absolutely possible. I know this because I do it myself. In fact, a truly profitable enterprise is one that can run without you. Will it be easy? It will be hard work initially, and you’ll have to be prepared to challenge the way you think and do things now. But it will be worth it – and I’m going to show you how. I’m going to help you discover your inner resources, and a different way of thinking that will produce amazing results and a better way of life. That’s how I live, that’s how I work, and that’s how I have succeeded. The secret? – I’m always looking for the next level.