I love my Pyme (“pyme” being the Spanish for SME) is a fantastic book that recently came into my hands, written by Miguel Angel Robles, a good friend and businessman.
I’ve been following Miguel Angel Robles Elez-Villarroel for a long time, as he is the founder of Inteban Network, a company specialising in conferences and professional forums for SMEs, which I’ve been attending regularly for more than 10 years.
In this book, in little more than a hundred pages, Miguel Ángel shares with us his intense business activity and experience over the last 20 years, since he launched his own company followed by a good number of other business projects, all related to the world of SMEs.
His book really stands out for being practical and clear: he doesn’t beat about the bush and gets straight to the point, to the areas where we can improve in our SME without blaming the state of the market or the government.
That said, in that respect he doesn’t leave current policies supporting SMEs, entrepreneurs and the self-employed in a very good light, and I agree with him: they came late and badly, and were not at all focused on our problems. Nor does he praise the business associations, which have barely come to our defence or fulfilled their role as a lobby during this long period of recession. The ones we know have devoted themselves to policies or actions designed only with large companies in mind.
The book’s positive messages:
- We are a country that stands out for its talent, commitment and effort. These factors will help us pull through. He recommends looking at the excellent successes of our sportsmen, sportswomen and teams in order to emulate them, draw inspiration from them and shed our inhibitions at home and abroad.
- The role of the entrepreneur. Motivation, motivation and motivation to go after our goals day after day. We have the abilities, and if they make access to funding a little easier, we’ll succeed.
- Leading and managing SMEs through emotions. Putting genuine leaders at the head of our SMEs (the founder doesn’t always have to be the top executive): those who inspire their team.
- The values that can have the greatest impact on an SME:
- Responsibility. Decision-making in the task of guiding and managing the group. Decisions based on reflection, carefully analysing all the factors and consequences.
- Hard work. The leader must set the best example for the team: if they act with diligence and put effort, courage, bravery and enthusiasm into their work, it will rub off on everyone else.
- Gratitude. This doesn’t necessarily have to be monetary, but sincere thanks to any member of the team for good work, so that they receive constant positive recognition.
- Solidarity. Being close to your team, knowing their personal problems well if they have any, and acting accordingly.
- Honesty. Let this be a permanent value in our company, by being fair, reasonable and honest.
- Knowing our customers. Beyond the typical CRM that gives us key information, we have to go one step further and, through good management, win their trust and loyalty and increase their level of satisfaction.
- Charitable initiatives. Chosen by consensus by the team, they will undoubtedly strengthen the bonds between its members as well as their pride as a team.
This is just a taste. The book ends with a set of remedies for emotional ailments in the SME environment.
If you’d like to read his SME manifesto and join it, here’s more info. You can also buy the book or ebook: http://ilovemypyme.com/manifiesto/
And repeat after me: I love my Pyme!!!
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