Have you read “Fantastic Mr. Fox” by Roald Dahl, author of other beloved classics such as “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “James and the Giant Peach”? Did you happen to see the movie this weekend? I had the distinct pleasure of doing both with my family over this Thanksgiving holiday. While devout “read the book first” advocates will likely disagree, I highly recommend both the book and the movie in no particular order.

While there are great lessons to be gleaned from “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, I will be careful not to divulge too much of the storyline. Suffice it to say, Mr. Fox takes chances, even enlisting the help of friends and family. Then, he finds himself in a less than desirable situation. In his case, you might even say he’s got his back against the wall.

Now you may not be in that dire of straits, but if you are like most of us, you are likely experiencing challenges such as decreased sales, tighter lending requirements, slimmer margins, and the list can go on. As you are thinking about your business for the upcoming year, I would suggest taking some tips from the charming Mr. Fox.