Knowing the Terrain
Sun Tzu said, “ We shall be unable to turn natural advantage to account unless we make use of local guides.”
In business, there are a lot of people that are in it and do not have a clue as how to operate. Sun Tzu talks about knowing the landscape like the mountains, swamps, canyons, etc. The only way to know when and where to fight is to understand what is going on around you.
Businesses should also hire people to help them know the landscape. They may use a consultant to tell them what to expect. A good consultant can tell a business what the competition is like, what kinds of things to avoid, and what strategies are good. A business without a consultant is going to have a hard time unless they already have superior knowledge.
To take it a step further, some businesses are looking to relocate or to expand their stores. They do not know the real estate landscape like the local realtors. In situations like this, they need to hire a local person to help them know where to buy and what price to pay. It is always a good idea to bring on a consultant to help you with your business, just make sure they actually know what they are doing.
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