Things Change: 3 ways to make it suck less

Yesterday I shared a bit about how a thing (an offer, a service, an IdeaStorming thing) changed after I let it out into the world.
Today I wanted to share what I learned through that (and many many many other changes). Ways to make it suck less. Ways to maybe make it awesome.

Disclaimer: I'm mostly talking about systems that need change. Things in your business that you can influence. Not other people's actions, not outside forces. You. Your crafty biz. Your changes.

1. Notice

Always the first step to change: notice.
Notice what your customers are saying.
Notice what your people are asking for.
Notice what you're resisting.

Noticing gives you a little more…I don't want to say “control”…but influence.

Do you have a system in place for listening and noticing?

2. Don't resist

This particular example was pretty awesome: something I offered as being X turned out to be most helpful when it was Y.
But the change was only awesome because I didn't resist.
When clients said “Hey, I have plenty of ideas, what I'm struggling with is focus”, I said “Sure!”

I was really in love with the idea of IdeaStorming, but I am more in love with giving crafty businesses what they need. Rolling with the changes they suggest just make it better for both of us.

Is there something you've noticed but are resisting? Would it make things better for your customers?

(Example from my own crafty biz: I hate purple. Can't stand it. Customers always ask for it. I've resisted in the past, but why? It makes knitters SO happy and it's not compromising my morals.)

3. Make it gentle

Once you notice a thing you could change, there's no need to overhaul everything. Make a gentle shift into the new thing.

What super small teeny change could you make? What's the smallest possible step?

How do you make changes in your creative business?