Starting a Business and Yoga
I have been suffering from lower back pain for almost a year now - I've tried just about everything, short of back surgery...including going to a chiropractor, massage therapist, physical therapist, and more recently Pilates yoga. Of all the methods, Pilates yoga seems to be giving me the best long term prospects of overcoming my back pain. For the uninitiated, Pilates yoga consists of a number of movements that stretch and strengthen the area known as the "core" - the joints and muscles that support the abdomen, hips and lower back. By doing the regimen of elaborate crunches, kicks, backward tumbles and "teasers" each morning and evening, I'm feel my core region tightening and increased flexibility in my lower back.

It occurred to me that running a successful business is in some ways similar to doing yoga. In some regards a business needs to focus on buiding its "core" strengths, what it is that it does well. A common mistake small companies (especially technology-oriented ones) fall into is pursuing too many projects or ideas at the same time, rather than sticking with one or two "bread and butter" business ideas. It has been my experience you end up spreading your "butter" too thin and not do justice to any of the projects. But at the same time, you also have to adopt an almost contradictory attitude of flexibility to react to market trends, competitive threats and macroeconomic shifts. It's the balance between focus and flexibility that makes for a successful business venture and the challenge that small business managers must face every day.