Recently I was driving along a two lane highway out in the middle of nowhere. As I drove, I came up to an intersection where a car was at a stop sign waiting for me to pass. Now I’m sure that you are thinking that there is nothing special about this, after all cars pass other cars at stop signs millions of times a day all over the world, so surely this particular incident was of no greater importance. But what I saw surprised me because in fact, it was quite rare.

The car waiting at the intersection was a Ford Model T – the vehicle that put Ford Motor Company on the map by making cars affordable for everyone. I do not know the year, the mileage, or any of its history, but by all accounts the car was a beauty. Everything about the car looked to be well cared for: the exterior was clean and free of dents and scratches. The top was down, revealing a simple but very well maintained interior. Even the whitewall tires gleamed in bright contrast to the famous black paint. Even though I am not a “car guy,” I found myself intrigued by what I saw. I began to imagine the history of the vehicle, how fun it must be to go cruising on a warm, sunny day, and yes – even how much a car like that must be worth. But as my mind started processing the joys of owning such a vehicle another thought emerged that gave me reason to pause.

The Model T was in production from 1908-1927, meaning that 84 years have passed since the last one was produced. That is a long time for anything to last – especially a machine with moving parts designed to be mobile. So even though I was looking at a vehicle that was clean and impeccably maintained today, it is an absolute certainty that this car has at numerous times been broken down, dirty, damaged, and in need of repair. How many times has it been fixed? How many of the original parts have broken or worn down and needed to be replaced? It’s hard to think about it in those terms when you see it out on the road – but I imagine that in order for that car to still be running today there must have been many, many hours spent in the garage repairing, preparing, and caring for this special vehicle.

In many ways our businesses parallel the Model T. We went into business for a purpose; to produce a product that will meet the needs of our customers and make a profit for us. As we set out on this course, things can run smoothly, but you also know that this will not always be so. Over time even the best business plan will change, stop, or even break down, causing us to stop and repair what had been lost. Like a Model T, our businesses didn’t start out as a classic. Over the years that car has been repaired and refocused scores of times. Before you get to that place where you are widely recognized as an industry leader (and even for a time after) you must determine how best to overcome the beats, brakes, and all of the other trappings of being in business. If you can’t you run the risk of never making it or never growing until you become a classic.

So how does a company repair itself as it strives to grow and reach elite status? One of the easiest ways to do this is through redesigning your companies’ website. Need help? Talk to WD International’s staff of experts who are just waiting to serve you. They can repair, redesign, and restore your website to meet all of your individual and business needs. And unlike the Model T – they use more colors than just black!