Like on most mornings through the Dunedin winter today's first job was to light the fire. The wood was a little damp and it took a while to get going properly, so I tended it for longer than usual.
It got me thinking of the parallels between fires and businesses. Like fires, businesses are fragile, especially in the early stages. They can be treated carelessly, with neglect, wet wood and unnecessary expenses.
But when they are nurtured and allowed to grow naturally while being fed with quality fuel (wood, effort, sales), they start to stabilise and produce heat and profits, often surprisingly quickly.