Are Business Showers A Crazy Idea?
In a quote, widely credited to Elon Musk, he makes the claim that we should have Business Showers for new enterprises. Yes, just like baby showers are held for new bundles of joy. Let that sink in a minute. When I first read this comment my initial thought was: “There goes that kooky Musk again.” It is true, we have become used to Elon’s eccentricities. In this case, though, his idea isn’t really that radical. To every Entrepreneur, their new business is their baby. They are up all hours of the day and night cleaning, feeding, and caring for it. They worry about it constantly. Will it grow and flourish or will I make some crucial mistake that it will never recover from? It costs us a fortune to raise it right and there is no guarantee it will turn outright. Yep, just like a baby.
Shower The New Business With Attention…& Resources
The gist of Mr. Musk’s quote is that we should have baby showers for baby businesses. Just like we have baby showers we have the same thing for a new business. “When a friend starts a new business we all come together, celebrate them, and bring resources for their business to start.” Elon may be a little unpredictable, but he is very smart. Why not throw a business shower? We bring packs of diapers to the new baby, maybe we bring a case of printer paper to our friend’s new baby business? Instead of gifting the bundle of joy with binkies and teething rings, we make a purchase from the new business’ website or brick-and-mortar store. We actually hold a physical shower at their office, shop, or even their living room if it’s a home-based business.
All your need to do is open your mind and think outside the Pamper’s box. By the way, in case you didn’t know, Pampers disposable diapers originally came in boxes. There really is no limit to the comparisons or the ideas for how to help a newborn business. The idea is the same, we all come together to celebrate the birth of a new business by supporting them, spreading the word, and yes, even buying something they sell. A new idea or just a twist on something old? It’s up to you to decide but it is an idea that should be explored.
The How-To’s
So, you have now warmed to the idea of Business Showers. Luckily, just like babies, new businesses are only born every so often, so cases of “shower fatigue” shouldn’t be a problem. The real issues are the Who & How. Who will host the shower and how will they do it? In reality, anyone can host it and all you have to do is follow the blueprint of a real “baby” shower. Everything from invitations to wish lists to party games can be adapted to fit. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started:
- Send out real baby shower invitations – Just make sure you mention it is a business and not a baby in the fine print. It will be fun to see how your prospective guests react.
- Serve cookies, punch and finger sandwiches – Or Beer, Wine, and meat/cheese trays. Either way is fine, it’s just that one will probably result in better gift-giving.
- Rent a Venue for the shower – You don’t want to clean your house for a party, do you really want the same thing in your shop or office?
What games can you imagine? How would you compose your guest list? The possibilities are truly endless. The main idea is to get people excited about the new arrival. You will need the support for your business just like you would your real offspring. [tweet_box design=”default” float=”right” width=”40%”]Just like we have baby showers we have the same thing for a new business.[/tweet_box]
We Know Showers
Here at The Beacon Center, we like to think of ourselves as “Shower Central”. That normally means babies and weddings (not in that order). With a new idea like Business Showers, we are the ideal venue for you. From ribbon-cutting scissors to mark the occasion all the way to being free to bring your own food and drink, we are the cost-effective, no drama way to hold any function.
All you need to do to get started is give us a call. Better yet, visit us online and book a free personal tour. Come see how we can be the birthplace of your new baby. Regardless of what kind you are having.
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