This year is a “leap year” in which we all get an extra day – an additional 24 hours to do whatever we want. That extra “leap day” this year is Thursday, February 29th. While the additional day still leaves February as the shortest month of the year, it offers us all an extra chance to make a leap, take a risk, or do something different.
The uniqueness of leap year is akin to a unicorn. Unlike the legendary mythical creature of the Renaissance, this is the definition of “unicorn” venture capitalist Aileen Lee introduced to the business world. For a new business to be considered a unicorn, it must possess these five traits: tech-savvy, consumer-focused, efficient, growth-driven, and disruptive.
Like unicorns in business, they aren’t common, and neither are leap years, as they only occur every four years. According to National Geographic, we add a day to the calendar in leap years because it actually takes about 365.2425 days for the Earth to revolve around the sun. Leap days are added to the calendar every four years to ensure our calendar year stays in sync with the seasons. So what if businesses took this extra day as an opportunity to stay in sync with the energy of a new “unicorn” startup? How could they accomplish this?
Every year provides us with 365 opportunities to improve sales strategies, strengthen relationships with customers and clients, develop new products, innovate, create, and execute. But since this year is a leap year, we have 366 opportunities, giving us a rare chance to achieve the impossible. It’s like every leap year allows businesses to grow wings and soar high. Our business goals may seem like unicorns, but they are indeed achievable. It’s never too late for any business, regardless of its size or how long it has been in operation, to achieve the impossible or to attain the goals they’ve established.
To be considered a legitimate unicorn in business, a company has to be valued at $1 billion or more. Considering that, as of 2023, there are 554 unicorns in the world, it takes approximately seven years to become a unicorn, and the chance of growing into one is 0.00006%, revisiting the five “unicorn” business traits is a way for both new and established businesses to evaluate their progress and sustainability while taking the necessary and audacious leaps along the way.
At Credico, we understand how business works because we’ve been partnering with companies to help them grow since 1991. When we started our business over 30 years ago, the term “unicorn” didn’t exist, but we took a leap. We were brave enough and courageous enough to create a business that would become the customer-focused, omnichannel, growth-driven, efficient, and disruptive face-to-face sales leader we are today.
The next leap years will occur in 2028, 2032, and 2036. These are three more opportunities for you to ensure that your business is well-prepared for future leap years. If you can’t use February 29th to be innovative, try to readjust your vision and objectives to become a unicorn. Alternatively, operate from a unicorn perspective and find another day to do so. You can also consider the anniversary of the day your business was established as your own personal leap year. After all, starting a business requires taking a big leap of faith. It’s essential not just for your business but also for your customers, teams, and community. If you find that your business is growth-driven but needs some assistance executing your plan, contact us at Credico today. We are here to help you leap into business growth and achieve success beyond your wildest dreams.