In the E-Myth Revisited, Michael Gerber said, “If your business depends on you, you don’t own a business—you have a job. And it’s the worst job in the world because you’re working for a lunatic!” LOL, There are many reasons why you should work on your business, not in your business, and that one is #1 in my book. I bet you started your business with the vision of the freedom, time, and money it would create. And then reality set in. Most small business owners became a captive of their business. Instead of you running it, “It” runs you. I coach many entrepreneurs who admit their desire to just “run away”; they feel like owning a business isn’t for them. I hate to see good entrepreneurs failing when the truth is all they need to do is change a few things in their business. Today, I am going to share….
3 Tips to Help You Work ON Your Business, Not IN It!
Go from Rainmaker to Architect
Do you generate more than 50% of the revenues in your business? Or do you know the names of most of your clients? These are the classic signs of a rainmaker. The drawback is that you only have 24 hours a day. Your sales will inevitably hit a wall because your time is limited. Most small business owners know they need a salesperson in their business, but they aren't clear on how to hire them, how to train them, or what to expect from them. When we look at working on your business vs. in your business, hiring a salesperson is top of the list. Start by outlining your sales process. How do you get leads? What do you do once you get them? Put together a sales script for your new salesperson. If you aren't sure how to proceed, you can hire a business consultant to help you design the process.
Remove Yourself From the Delivery of Your Products and Services
When I am working with a small business owner, we analyze their products and services for scalability. I am looking at three aspects: does your client see it as valuable, is it repeatable, and is it teachable to your staff? We actually chart all of their different products/services on a chart to determine which falls in the three aspects vs. those that don't. If you find yourself often, or way more than often, working with clients directly, I would challenge you to begin to create the processes that teach your staff to do that. In the beginning, my clients often say that they don't have time to do that. I want you to understand that if you ever plan to work on your business and not in your business, you must begin this process.
Create a Plan to Give Away 80% of Your To-Do List
Don't hate the messenger – You have to eliminate your employee mentality! You're the small business owner; it's time to start thinking like an owner or at least managing like one—delegate tasks as often as possible and then a few more. Every day, my goal is to give away 80% of my to-do list. This is the only way you'll be able to do less but get more done.
