Fishbowl Runs More Than Inventory Software

Running a relay race isn’t for the faint of heart. And neither is running a fast-growing software company. But somehow Fishbowl is managing to do both of these things!

Fishbowl is an official sponsor of Utah’s Rivalry Relay this year, and 18 of its employees are getting ready for the 60-mile race. They’ll be running from the University of Utah to Brigham Young University, and a portion of the money they pay for the race will go to the “100% for Kids charity,” so it’s for a good cause.

Yours truly is one of the runners, so I’m pretty pumped for the event. The last time I ran competitively was three years ago. It was a half-marathon and I ended up in bed for two straight days afterwards. You can read that story in my blog post “Going the Distance.” But I think this time I’ll be much better prepared thanks to our resident running expert, Jameson King. He also happens to be a superb account manager on our support team.

Hmm… I think there’s a metaphor for running a business hidden in there somewhere. Let’s find it together!

Be Prepared

Running a business is like running a race. Plenty of preparation is required to make sure things work properly. My biggest problem during my half-marathon was that I didn’t prepare adequately. I could use the excuse that my knee was hurt and so I didn’t want to push myself too much, but I know I could have worked harder.

This is like when a business wants to grow and become more successful. Both of these are great goals, but business leaders need to put forth a lot of effort to make them happen. Doing sprints every now and then to get the job done won’t work. It takes consistent effort to build a successful company.

Get Expert Help

To prepare for this relay, I’ve really benefited from the expert advice of an experienced runner. I’ve been running long distances since junior high, but I never paid too much attention to technique. Now I’m definitely thinking about it.

There are a lot of little pieces involved in running a business. You’ve got inventory management, accounting, human resources and customer service, just to mention a few. No matter how smart you are, you need help to make sure everything gets done the right way. Luckily, there are software solutions that make life easier. Fishbowl Inventory can help with your inventory management and customer service, and QuickBooks can help with your accounting and human resources.

Work as a Team

When I ran my half-marathon, I came to believe that runners are pretty much by themselves. They succeed or fail through the strength of their own muscles and individual effort. But now I’m going to run in a relay race, and I’m starting to realize it doesn’t always have to be that way. I’m part of a team, so it’s not just me versus everyone else. It’s a good feeling to not be alone in this struggle.

Running a business is more like running a relay race than a marathon because you’re not the only one responsible for getting things done. You have to hand off different tasks to your employees and trust they’ll get them done. If one person fails to go the distance, someone else will have to pick up the slack or the whole team won’t be able to cross the finish line.

Get Down to Business

Whether you’re running a relay or a business, you can succeed if you prepare well, get help from experts and use teamwork. I recommend you start getting down to business and beating your competitors by using Fishbowl Inventory to handle your inventory management needs. Get a free inventory software demo today.