I recently told the "The Shinny Penny" Story and thought it would also be a good blog post.I had spent years early in my coaching career following shinny pennies.

Here is the story. You are standing in a very long line at the airport. You look down and see something shinny so you get out of line to see what it is. You realize as you pick it up that it is only a penny but now you have to get to the back of the line.

I relate this to your business. How often have you gotten side tracked with a new tool, a needy client, a personal issue or something else that takes your attention away from your business? You follow that shinny penny which gets your business off track costing you considerable time and money.

As mentioned I was guilty of getting sidetracked with business opportunities and tools that were just not right for my business. Now we as a company are very aware of the "shinny penny" when presented with a business opportunity. We will of course do our due diligence and vet the company but we no longer let it consume what we are doing. If it fits into our business model or directly moves the business in the direction we are headed then we work it into the current business model. We no longer change the business model to make things "work"
By keeping track of your numbers and having consistent benchmarks; it allows you more quickly get back in line and by simply being aware of shinny pennies as they occur is the first step in not allowing them to consume you. So next time you are intrigued by a business opportunity, a new tool or something else. Take a moment to consider if it is simply a 'shinny penny' or if it will enhance your business.