Star Wars is both a beloved movie franchise and a foundational element of pop culture. Touching the hearts and minds of fans across many generations, Star Wars has seen a rush of new attention as a slate of new films have been released in recent years, with more on the horizon.
Of course, every good story can teach lessons, whether it’s learning from the successes of Luke Skywalker and the Rebel Alliance or from the failures of Darth Vader and the Empire. With Star Wars Day – May the 4th (say “May the 4th be with you” out loud, if you’re not already familiar with the turn of phrase) – fast approaching, it’s a great time to consider the lessons this celebrated space opera can teach you about running a small Business.
Don’t be like the Death Star: Identify and address your business weaknesses
The Death Star, the moon-sized weapon used by the Empire to destroy entire planets, was brought down by a much smaller ship piloted by Luke and a single projectile shot into an unprotected vent. This scenario has attracted plenty of good-natured criticism in the past, most of it centering around this central theme: How could the Empire leave such a potentially catastrophic point of failure unsecured?
While your business likely doesn’t have a single point where the smallest bit of interference could cause total collapse, this lesson is one to take to heart in context. Regularly review your business for any potential weak points, whether they exist in your supply chain, customer engagement strategy, employee training, bookkeeping efforts or somewhere else. Only with the knowledge of your potential weaknesses can your business continue to grow and prosper.
Believe in the Force: If the foundation is sound, have a little faith
While the later movies and many other properties associated with Star Wars present the Force – the mental superpowers of trained Jedi – as widely accepted and recognized, they weren’t always portrayed that way. The first film in the series presents a time when the Jedi knights were at a particularly low point, fading from the collective memory of much of the universe.
Even Han Solo didn’t believe in the powers of the Jedi at first, and some of locals on Tatooine, including Luke at first, thought Obi-Wan Kenobi, called Ben and hiding in seclusion, was simply an eccentric.
The films go on to show that isn’t the case, which can provide a good business lesson. If you know your business has a strong foundation and a good operational plan, have faith in it. Don’t make drastic changes after a single week of slow sales, and make changes with improvement in mind, not a fear of failure.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Princess Leia was desperate when she sent her droids on a mission to find Obi-Wan and help her take down the Empire. She knew she could trust Obi-Wan, though, and sure enough, he came to her aid despite the long odds of the droids even finding him. That one decision set off a chain of events that allowed the Rebel Alliance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and, two films later, earn a decisive win over the Empire.
How does this relate to your business? Sometimes, you need to ask for help. If that means small business loans or equipment leasing or financing, you should explore all your options. That means looking beyond traditional loan providers and exploring alternative lenders. Working with an alternative lender like National Funding gives your business the terms and flexibility it needs to realize the best loan agreement possible.
