How many "Georges" are you?

GEORGE: Ah you have no idea of the magnitude of this thing. If she is allowed to infiltrate this world, then George Costanza as you know him,Ceases to Exist! You see, right now, I have Relationship George, but there is also Independent George. That's the George you know, the George you grew up with -- Movie George, Coffee shop George, LiarGeorge, Bawdy George.

JERRY: I, I love that George.

GEORGE: Me Too! And he's Dying Jerry! If Relationship George walks
through this door, he will Kill Independent George! A George, divided
against itself, Cannot Stand!

http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/ThePoolGuy.html

As a small business owner – with a life – we know that unlike megalo-corporations with many departments and divisions, it is our persona and our actions and inactions that speak directly to the nature of the business we own and operate.

Confession: In the early days of my professional life, I had ‘work’ me and ‘party’ me. The work me was replete with articulate work voice, meticulous appearance, and all of the apropos brands festooned about my person. I was a rainmaker, and the high-rolling investors I worked with expected nothing but the best. They got the very best, personal, respectful, and thorough service from me. …Then there was the party me. A nightlife animal – a-hootin’ and a-hollerin’ a-whoopin’ and a-wailin’ - the things-get-going-around-12:30am life of the party. Goodness help me if those worlds collided.

Inevitably, as George and I ultimately learned, worlds always collide. If you’re not yourself when you’re being yourself – when are you? Rather – which ‘you’ is the real you?

Like it or not, your ‘you’ is your business. If you’re reading this blog, you have likely have chosen to venture out and do our own thing – and in doing so, there are two key things that small business owners must accept: consistency and transparency.

We cannot be separate people living separate lives based on our location or time of day. In the eyes of our customers, we are our business.

Much as I’m not interested in seeing my doctor or teacher out at the bar pounding shooters or ‘faced on Facebook, our customers don’t want to see us acting in a manner inconsistent with the trust we have built with them through our business persona.

It takes time, money and substantial effort to build a customer base. We all know the stats regarding cost of keeping customers v. finding new ones. Why take a chance jeopardizing the business you have worked so hard to build?

This doesn’t mean that we can’t have fun, it just means that if you don’t want your worlds to collide, live in one world! Inject your awesome, unique personality into daily business life and make the choice to simmer down the things you wouldn't want your best client/customer to see.

World-meld into your favorite you - trust me, it's much easier this way.