Failure Is Not An Option
You have probably heard the famous history and legend about the Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortes.
In 1519, he landed on the shores of Mexico with a fleet of 11 ships and 500 soldiers with the mission to conquer the land and its people, which numbered over 5 million. From a purely mathematical standpoint, this mission seemed suicidal and his men knew it. Fear gripped many of them and they wanted to retreat, abandon the mission and sail back to Cuba.
Legend has it that Cortes ordered his men to “burn the ships,” destroying the only safety net and escape route possible. Failure would not be an option, he wanted all-in commitment and focus to the success of the mission.
How can you have this kind of commitment for your car wash business? At times it seems daunting and the stakes are high. You have invested a lot of money into this business and the market is only getting more competitive and saturated. Here are three key suggestions to help you “burn the ships” to have the focus and commitment to succeed.
Singularity of Focus: choose wisely what model you will focus on and commit. Are you building a premium hand wash? A high-volume express wash? A full-service detail center? Don’t try to be everything to everyone and learn to say yes to the right opportunities and no to the ones that distract from your main focus.
Intentionally Remove Distractions: Eliminate anything that takes away from your singular focus. Strip away any unprofitable services like low-margin add-ons that complicate operations or any offerings that slow down your core processes. Trim away any time-wasting activities like unnecessary meetings or even the time you take to over-analyze minor decisions. Let the “problem employees” go- they only suck and drain your energy and disrupt focus.
Build Your Support System: Lastly, build up a network of people who are in your corner. Industry mentors, professional advisors, and accountability partners who can challenge your decisions, celebrate your wins, and hold you accountable to your goals. This is one of the reasons we created the CarwashOS Elite Mastermind. Running a car wash business can be isolating, and having other experienced operators in your corner can make a tremendous difference. The Elite Mastermind gives you a community of car wash owners and operators who understand the challenges you’re facing, along with the accountability, perspective, and support needed to keep moving forward. If you’re serious about building a stronger, more profitable operation, learn more about the CarwashOS Elite Mastermind and join a community that is committed to helping you succeed.
Burning the ships isn’t about making reckless decisions. It’s about removing the temptation to retreat when things get difficult.
The car wash industry is competitive, and there will always be challenges, setbacks, and moments when walking away seems easier than pushing forward. But success requires clarity about where you’re going, discipline to eliminate the things pulling you off course, and the right people around you to help you stay accountable.
When failure isn’t an option, your focus changes, your decisions change, and ultimately, your business can change.
