Business Owner Newsletter - Page 13

This month we are promoting how to graduate your business to the next level. We explored refreshing your vision, proactive change, embracing new ideas, change through people and the opportunities for changing your technology, customer service and products. This week's focus is on graduating your business's "to do" list. These are the ideas you wrote on a cocktail napkin, the hand written notes on a notepad next to your bed when you wake up at 3 am, or items on your computer in the "someday" folder. So how do you take these "to dos" and ideas to the next level? 

Quote: "You're off to great places, today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way." -Dr. Seuss

This month we've been focused on graduating your business to the next level. We already mentioned ways to graduate your business with an updated vision, new ideas and with people. This week our focus is on: areas of technology, customer service, and products in your business. Do any of these areas in your business need to go back to school? Do they need to be improved and innovated?

Last week we introduced the idea of graduating your business to the next level. We encouraged you to review your company vision, engage in proactive change, and embrace new ideas. This week our topic is taking your business to the next level through people. What people? Those who come to your business to purchase products and services - Your Customers. Those who support the products and services in business - Your Employees. And, those directly involved in the decision making, planning, and strategy of a business - you the owner and your leadership team.

May is the month for graduations. For students of all ages it is the time to move forward and look to the next experience and opportunity. For those students culminating an educational goal, they can move forward with a degree in hand, ready to take their education to the next level, start a new career, or just begin "adulting." 

This month we've discussed Spring Cleaning in your business including why spring cleaning matters, a spring cleaning checklist, and the ability to let go of projects. This week we want to focus on sprucing up the organization of your technology with a sample checklist. Again, this checklist is meant to be customized. We encourage you to make it your own.

Our thoughts: We see business owners hold on to work and stock pile projects, because putting a project to rest feels like a disappointment or even a failure. This leads to clutter, overwhelm, and can lead you to wasting time on projects/tasks that are not your true priorities. As an entrepreneur, you will always see ways to improve and innovate your business. There will always be a need to strategize solutions to maximize time and capacity. It's okay to stop a project and to clean it off your to do list without considering it a failure. We challenge you to take a look at your to do list and clean it up. Are those tasks/projects really a priority? Are you hanging on to something, because you don't want to call it quits? Free up your time and your mind for what will truly move your business forward.

Last week we discussed the impact that Spring Cleaning can have on your business and this week we're jumping right into the heart of that matter with a sample Spring Cleaning Checklist. We encourage you to make this list your own. Add to it, tailor it, and adjust it to make sure that your business has what it needs to be organized, focused, and you have what you need to build a business of value.

When people discuss Spring Cleaning, they typically do so in regards to cleaning their garage or sometimes even their office. It's typically about cleaning a physical space; reducing clutter, creating order, and making your physical space look better. Guess what - there is opportunity in the clutter that inspires spring cleaning! Think about it...those piles exist because most small businesses get weighed down in the day-to-day of the business. They get so busy working in it, that they don't have time to work on the business. Now you might be thinking, "How in the world is Spring Cleaning going to help me work on my business?"

This month we've been focusing on how to build a business of value. A business that gives you more time, more money and more freedom in day-to-day operations is a business that will sell for a premium when the time comes. Last week we looked at the first four drivers that will help you increase the value of your business: Financial Growth, Growth Potential, Recurring Revenue and the Switzerland Structure. This week we'll take a look at the remaining four drivers which are: Monopoly Control, Customer Satisfaction, Valuation Teeter-Totter, and Hub & Spoke.