(Add to Favorites | View All Articles | Resource Directory)
|
|
|
If you have to do everything yourself, you're not doing it rightDo I Have to Do EVERYTHING Myself?!The air in my client's office nearly crackled with her irritation. A scheduling snafu had left a client without important services. "I guess I just have to do everything myself," she ranted. My calling as a small business consultant requires that I maintain objectivity in the face of a client's frustration and anger. My calling as a human being and a small business owner myself leads me to empathize with what she was feeling at the moment. It often seems, as small business owners, that we do indeed have to do everything ourselves. No one understands our business like we do, no one has the single minded dedication that we do. But here is a simple truth: If you have to do everything yourself, you're not doing it right. Now, my client knows this and because she does, she operates a growing, successful company. But, we all have our moments. You see, in the beginning, your business is you. You are the president, the bookkeeper, the janitor, and the one who makes the product or performs the service. It is at this crucial time that you can best impact the future of your business. If you don't separate yourself from the day-to-day aspects of your company, you will run yourself into the ground. Taking the approach of "I have to do everything myself" is a great recipe for burnout. How do I know? GULP! Well, uh, um?it happened to me-yup! ME. Big know-it-all smarty-pants small business consultant. I walked right up to the trap and stuck my foot in it. And suddenly, I found myself so depressed and frustrated, I was ready to walk away from the business I had spent years building. How did it happen? Did I lose my passion for helping small businesses succeed? Not at all. I still cared very deeply. So, what was the problem? I asked myself this question over and over as I repeatedly banged my head against the wall. The problem was this: I was trying to be "The Solution". I was trying to do everything for everybody and still work on my own business. What's wrong with that? Being the solution is what business is all about, isn't it? If my customer has a need shouldn't I step up and try to fill that need? Look at it this way, I'm a consultant. My job is to teach others how to do what needs to be done. A small business doesn't need an MBA to do the payroll. A small business needs a payroll system that works long-term. My job is to set up systems that work, to develop systems that are sustainable and workable solutions for the business at all stages of growth. Once a system is working, it then becomes my job to teach others how it works. Then, the System becomes "The Solution." I am merely an "Interim Solution." I learn, I teach, I get out of the way. Only then have I truly taken care of my customer. Apply this to your own business. Are you performing tasks that take you away from your most important functions? Are you focusing on the long-term growth of your business or are you spending all your time on activities for which you are merely an "Interim Solution"? By focusing on what is truly important, you're better able to find the balance between what is best for your customers and your business. If you're one of the millions of Small Business Owners who is: feeling stressed and disorganized, tired of working long hours for less you're worth, and struggling for focus, Small Business Mastermind, Caroline Jordan MBA has a Special Report just for you. It's called "Seven Secrets for Small Business Success". Get it by going to http://www.TheJordanResult.com . It won't cost you one red cent. Get it now. Start improving your business today.
MORE RESOURCES: News provided by Yahoo! News and Google News Fla. lawmakers propose small biz sales tax holiday - First Coast News SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard(R): Small Businesses on the Hunt for New Hires Small Business Column: Time for Irish SMEs to take advantage Pair launch equity crowdfunding platform for small-biz owners - Crain's Detroit Business Lt. Governor on pro-business legislation: 'We're on the cusp of changing our ... - Albuquerque Business First Small Biz in a Digital Age: Analytics - Know Your Options - GoLocal Worcester TD Bank Small Business Pulse Check Finds 70 Percent of New York City Businesses Optimistic about 2015 Opportunities Small Biz Sentiment Slips In January - Advertising Specialty Institute (press release) GST burden killing small business Correction: SmallBiz-Gas Prices story - Hickory Daily Record |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
There Are No Dumb Business Questions, Not! Q: I'm curious. What is the dumbest business question you've ever been asked? -- Norris W. SBIR vs STTR SBIR vs. STTR: If you are participating in the SBIR program you may also want to consider participating in the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program. Are You Making These Mistakes In Your Business? You've probably heard the statistic that 95% of small businesses fail in the first five years. That's not a very encouraging number! Although being part of the 5% that succeed is not easy, it's definitely possible. Designing a Franchise Training Program If you intend to franchise your company you will need to design a bullet proof training company for your new franchisees. This is above and beyond the training program you will design for them to administer to their new employees. Electronic Franchise Disclosure and E-Signature Future for Investors It has been discussed allowing Franchising companies to electronically disclose franchise documents to the public and prospective franchisees. If the Federal Trade Commission wants to make UFOC information available electronically through email to catch up with the newest technologies then it will get complaints and make up another rule saying no unsolicited UFOC maybe sent through email. Politics, Environmental Rules, and Mobile Car Washes During the California Recall Election, I was very interested. Without getting into the political scene at all; my entire company, The Car Wash Guys, and all our staff and franchisees were closely watching The California Recall and Election. Cashing In Your Chips & Pastures New No, I'm not talking about gambling or dairy cows - although business is often referred to as a gamble, I'm referring to your exit strategy. That time when you decide to 'play no more' and go off and practise your golf swing. Finding a Venture Capital Firm Many ventures are faced with the challenging task of raising venture capital. The first part of this process is finding the right venture capital firm (VC). What Is YOUR Value Proposition? Every company has a value proposition. That is a statement of their perceived value to their clients. Chamber Membership will BOOST your Business When is the Chamber ideal for your business?Joining a Chamber of Commerce is likely the best thing any business or individual can do. Chambers provide many benefits to members. QSR Quick Service - Fast Food Restaurants Labor Situation in United States One of the major complaints in the QSR Quick Service-Fast Food Restaurants Industry is the deplorable Labor Situation. In United States teen labor has become somewhat slim on ethical standards, showing up on time, drug use (both recreational and problematic), work ethic and trainability. PR - Cheaper than Advertising and may be more effective Your business is only as good as the number of people who knows about it. For your venture to grow, you need to start spreading the word about your business. How to Give FREE Advice and Make Money When is advice free and when should you charge for it?A question is often asked as to when to charge for information. This is not an easy question to answer as it really depends on the situation. Mission Statements: More Important Than You Thought If an organization lacks a mission statement, it is worthwhile to at least try to draft one. Even if it does not yield an acceptable final draft, the exercise will be rewarding for the hard work which must go into figuring out the company's direction and putative purpose. Equipment Maintenance Manual for Mobile Cleaning Business Outline Service Cleaning Businesses must maintain their equipment in order to insure it is ready to go when the company vehicles reach their customer. It does not matter how many service vehicles or employees you have, a manual can save you both time and money. Truck Wash Business Case Study Often smart entrepreneurs look for out of the way businesses, things out of the mainstream but businesses, which have a good customer base and steady incomes. This is an extremely interesting story. What people believe about your business directly affects your chances of success Pardon my enthusiasm, but a large part of your small business' success is somewhere else. Namely, out among the company's important external audiences. Franchise Sales and Use of Online Franchise Directories Franchising Directory Sites-Paid Advertising, Lead Generation for FranchisingFranchising Directory Sites are not doing the Industry any good. Typically they charge a fee for advertising per month or charge per sales for the lead, there must be 50 such sites. Ever thought of starting a virtual assistant business? If you're organized, smart, capable and willing to work with deadlines, you could start a virtual assistance business and cash in on your skills without having to commit to an employer (you'd be your own boss instead) or the "cube life". A VA (virtual assistant) is basically like an administrative assistant (or whatever duties need to be filled, such as writing, link building etc) that serves in a virtual capacity. The Benefits of Using Freelance Consultants / Trainers for Your Project What are the benefits of using a Freelance Consultant / Trainer for your next project?Companies are often wary of employing freelance trainers when setting up a new project or contemplating a 'roll out' operation or 'change' scenario. There are however distinct advantages to using freelance as against permanent resources, and some of these are outlined as follows.
|
| Home | Site Map | Privacy Statement | More Articles |
| © 2006 |