Manizesto

Cockroaches are one of the world’s most persistent pests. Why? For starters, roaches would be one of the only things to survive a nuclear holocaust, and they’re known to survive without their heads for several weeks (humans last only a few minutes). So even though most people hate them, there is something to be said for the tenacity of these fiesty fiends.

Which brings me to my pledge:

If you can be more like a cockroach when you market your small business, you will be more successful.

This may sound far-fetched, but consider what you can learn from the world’s most hated - if not prevalent - pest. Mimic some of the characteristics that make the cockroach so indestructible and far-reaching, and you”ll be poised for success.

Be like a cockroach by:

1. Being Agile. Turn on the lights and cockroaches scatter into crevasses faster than you can pull out the bug spray. How fast can you move when circumstances change?


2. Being Adaptive. You will find roaches living in almost any habitat, even when that habitat is difficult and new. Can you survive in any economic, social or environmental climate?


3. Being Persistent. Cockroaches never seem to give up. They defy punishment by being resilient and scrappy. One round of pest-control is never enough to wipe out a population of roaches. When hard times come your way, do you roll over or wait out the storm?


4. Going where the food is. If there is food, a cockroach will find it. It doesn’t matter where, what or how old it is, if it can be used for survival, a cockroach will eat it. Can you run your small business with enough foresight and agility to find a niche no matter what.


5. Being a Pest. Roaches go where people don’t want them and then stay there as long as possible. Are you a pest to your competition?