With Christmas and Valentine’s Day now long forgotten and March just around the corner, the people of Cheltenham are gearing themselves up for one of the most exciting annual events to grace our small spa town; the Cheltenham Festival.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators are expected to descend upon the famous Cheltenham Racecourse from the 14th to the 17th of March. Visitors will come not only from Cheltenham and the surrounding areas, but from all across the country to indulge in the festivities of race week – each of them hoping to leave with more money than when they arrived!
And as we look forward to this popular and prestigious sporting event (but not to setting our alarm clocks in anticipation of the early morning race week traffic), there’s no better time to explore the parallels that can be drawn between horse racing and business (or to bag ourselves a tweed jacket – because we’re going to need one!).
(https://pixabay.com/en/race-horses-racecourse-744105/)
We’re not talking about the social side of horse racing, which can be fabulous for corporate hospitality events and entertaining large company clients. We’re talking about the ways in which business can be similar to horse racing. While it might be a strange thought to associate the two, it’s clear that there’s a lot to learn from watching the races. So, if you’re having trouble getting time off work for the Cheltenham Festival, maybe these points will help you to convince your boss – though it might be best not to mention the alcohol, or the gambling!
Take web design, for example, an industry which at first glance couldn’t seem more far removed from the sport of horseracing. When you look a little closer however, you’ll see that there are indeed parallels between the two. The web is constantly changing and evolving, which means new design trends and development techniques are always emerging. Like the racehorses at Cheltenham, web design and software engineering experts must be agile; moving quickly and staying one step ahead of the competition if they want to be the best.
That said, the fastest and best horse may not always win the race, and the same principal stands in business. In order to be successful, you need to be smart and have the ability to maneuver the course and the competition; a good web designer, such as MA Design – Cheltenham, will always scope out the project in detail for potential obstacles, and assess the strengths and weaknesses of any competitors before storming ahead.
And while racing sometimes appears to be all about the horse, owners, trainers and jockeys also have key roles to play in the success of any racehorse; they are the ones who cultivate and support the horse to help it reach its full potential. The same goes in business – more often than not it takes more than a single individual to create something truly great. When working with peers towards a common goal or set of objectives, the whole process of work becomes more efficient and the rewards are often much sweeter, even if they are to be shared.
And though you may not be presented with a garland of roses on completion of a project, in the business world, more profit and a good, strong team is worth more than any trophy!