(Akiit.com) If you think of a lot of businesses over time, there are many that were really big and current, leading the way in their industry. But then, after a certain amount of time, they just got a little lost, and kind of lost their status of top dog, so to speak. Think of brands like Nokia and Blackberry, for example; where are they now?
There is so much more to a business being a success that simply ‘making it’ to the top. There can be a lot of problems that can happen for a business, and one of them can be an inflexibility to diversify, improve, or get with the more modern times. In short, if you snooze, then you can lose. Creating a business that is built to last is not just about creating a good way to run a company or a good product. The company that you’re building needs to be ever evolving and allow plenty of changes to happen. So here are some things to think about, as a leader in business.
Know Your Consumer
One of the biggest pitfalls in business, especially for a new business or a particular small business, is that you don’t understand the market that you are in, or the customers that you will be selling to. If you don’t know what your customers needs are or what they will want, then 
your ideas aren’t going to go particularly well. So you have to understand the void that needs to be filled, and then create a business around it. Things will change, and their needs will change. You just have to be a business that can diversify and not just stick to the same product range or service.
Go green
As a business you have a social responsibility to do all that you can to have a sustainable and more ‘green’ business. Climate change and problems with the environment are real, and there are things that you can do as a business. Something small like using less energy, or using a renewable source of energy could be a simple thing to do. You could look to places like the Energy Management Association for guidance and advice as well. Just make sure that you look to have some high standards when it comes to energy management in your chosen field.
Innovate to Differentiate
At the center or capitalism is competition. There will always be some, and you need to be able to keep ahead of it all. The only way to stay ahead of the same is to be able to offer something different to your consumers. Where so many things are the same, these small elements can really set you apart. People are much more likely to pay more for something if they think that they are getting something more back. So it is important to make sure that you can try new things to make sure that you can stand out from the crowd; it will make a big difference.
Staff Writer; Carl Love