Do you remember when you were a kid in school? If you struggled (as I did), you probably remember when your teacher helped you, they would tell you that you needed to "focus" harder.

That one word, more than any other, makes people wildly successful. I have never observed any successful company or individual, nor have I ever read of one, that did not perfect the ability to simply focus on their core competencies.

If you think about it, most businesses struggle because they try to do too many things.

Most businesses that end up highly successful always focus on a small list of key things, and then execute them better than anyone else in the marketplace.

It doesn't matter how big the business is; what does matter is having the intelligence to keep it simple and to be the very best at what you do.

Focus is especially important in our industry. We are a small industry, by most standards in this country. And yet, many businesses even in our world have failed because of a lack of focus.

The goal of a business should not be to do 10 different things ... in an average way. The goal of a business should be to pick several things you have a passion for, and then execute your business model relentlessly, to the point that even your competitors will see you as being the best.

Most of the time, when a business attempts to do too much, it is driven by ego. Ego, more than anything else, has driven many businesses to failure.

I have seen manufacturers fail because they thought they could be everything to everyone.

I have seen reps fail because they were the best at carrying 20 lines, yet mediocre at carrying 40.

I have seen retailers have one or two highly profitable locations, expand and end up out of business.

Let's keep it simple. Business boils down to only three core questions.

Who is your customer? Specifically, who will be your core, No. 1 customer group? Commit to them, cherish them, spoil them and show through your actions you live and breathe every day to serve their wants and needs. They will adore you for that, and gladly give you the lion's share of their dollars.

What do they want? I'm not talking about what you think they will buy, what you think they should buy, I'm talking about what they absolutely want or need to buy — in their minds, not yours.

How do they want it? For a wholesaler, this could mean terms, pricing and policies. For a rep, this could mean to work by appointment only, take inventories or help with store display. For a retailer, this could mean store appearance, level of customer service or selection of product.

The key here is to find the answers to these questions from your customers, not your staff, your vendors, or even your own minds. The pure answers you are looking for can only come from the people who are willing to open their wallets and give you their hard earned money.

Once you and your team have answered these questions, focus relentlessly on execution.

Inspire your employees to execute everything they do with passion and intensity. Once you do that, customers will recognize that you not only "get it," but that you also are performing at a level that far exceeds any of your competitors. And then, as if by magic, success and profit will flow to you.

... In this industry for people to rise to the top and blow us away, because we have always rewarded top performers at every level.

It is no accident that the biggest success stories at the manufacturer's level have always been based on focusing, whether on a particular product category, sales channel or season.

It is no accident that the sales reps with lasting notoriety are not always the ones with the biggest showrooms or the most lines, but they get the best performance with each line they do have.

It is no accident that the exceptional retailers in this industry have one store; focus on carrying a few lines, while executing superior customer service.

You see, ladies and gentlemen, success is not really an accident at all. It's the result of focus.