Now normally I am all for the maximization of the use of technology in small business as it is the best way I know of to improve productivity. But it would shock you to realize that the businesses that have the highest success rate are those that are started by the Amish. Amish businesses have a 95% success rate when it comes to staying around greater the 5 years. That is an incredible statistic especially when they achieve it by old means. Why is this so?
The secret may live in the culture of the Amish which emphasizes working hard and cooperating to make up for the lack of mechanical tools. It could also be because the Amish tend to stick to things they know, which is playing to their strengths culturally and personally. It may also be the fact that the Amish are very humble and polite, so they would probably not give themselves the credit for the success they are facing.
It could be their upbringing of working long days on the farm, waking early and working long days with a lot of physical labor involved. This gives them a work ethic that is very difficult to get without living the lifestyle of manual labor without machinery. The Amish usually make very good traditional things such as furniture, which the consumer knows has been hand done with every detail done by another human being.
While I'm not urging everyone to cast off the technology which makes a business more successful, some lessons can be drawn from the Amish for all entrepreneurs.
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