If your business has you stressed out, it relates back to some basic fundamentals you’re missing. If you’ve been in business for over a year and you’ve figured out what you do, who you serve and how to serve them with your products and services, then congratulations! This is definitely for you because you have probably reached the point where your business is stressing you. Mainly because you probably don’t have systems but we will get into that later.
And if this is your first year of business, I still want you to listen to this episode or keep reading. I know it may be hard for you to think about creating systems for something that you haven’t created yet. You’re still trying to find your footing. But once you get past that initial incubation period, you are going to wish you had some basic systems in place to avoid getting stressed out by your business.
So today we’re going to talk about what it takes to build a business that runs like a well-oiled machine.
Whether you are just starting your business or you’ve been in business for a year or more, it’s no secret that you need to have a strong foundation if you want your business to be successful.
And to have a strong foundation, you have to have business systems. Now I know systems are something that you either love or hate (of course I love them) but they’re a necessity if you want your business to run like a well-oiled machine. Otherwise, you will end up working in chaos and confusion…the place where your business has you stressed out.
There are only 24 hours in a day, how you spend them can mean the difference between spinning your wheels and going nowhere in your business or increasing your revenue this year. Now when I use the term “well-oiled machine” I’m talking about you having a business that operates consistently and feels easy and calm, you aren’t always putting out fires. You simply know what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.
And guess what? You don’t need to use a bunch of fancy tools for this to be the case. Yes, I said that!
Why Your Business Has You Stressed Out
Systems are the nuts and bolts of your business operations. If you are missing them, the business as a whole doesn’t function properly. As the SheEO of your business, your job is to lead yourself, your business and your clients to get a deliberate result that wouldn’t happen otherwise. But you can’t lead if you’re always putting out fires and constantly having to clean things up in your business after the fact.
I’m sure you have your reasons why you haven’t created business systems. But it’s really just an excuse. I’ve heard, “My business can’t be systemized because of XYZ” or “I’ll never be a well oiled machine business because I’m not good with tech or organizing things.”
I want to talk about the one skill you really need to take your business from chaotic to calm. You need to figure out what you do, why you do it and stick to it. Then invest in help to do the rest.
And I don’t want you to feel bad if you don’t have this clarity in your business. It’s more common than you think. The number one complaint every single person I work with says is they don’t have time to…(fill in the blank). In reality they have the time but they aren’t intentional with they way they use their time. They aren’t spending their time on the things that will help them strengthen their network, provide a better client experience or free up time so they can rest and enjoy life.
They keep getting distracted by all the shiny new things and they operate by the seat of their pants. That’s why I created an audio training where I share practical steps you can take so you can start working less and earning more without the overwhelm. It’s my signature framework that I’ve used to grow my business and I’ve used it to help multiple small business owners change the way they operate so they can create a business that supports their life instead of their life around their business. I’ll put a link to that in the show notes.
Now that we know why your business has you stressed out, let’s talk about how we can change that. It starts with your mindset about systems. One of the biggest myths I hear is…
Newer Businesses Don’t Need Systems
You can begin to build your business as a well-oiled machine right from the start. I actually recommend you do. It’s just as easy to create a system in month one as it is in year 10. The biggest difference in the experience is the longer you operate without systems, the more bad habits and bad practices you have to unlearn when you create systems.
Now let me give you my definition of a system. A system is a detailed step-by-step process that identifies the tool or tools that will help you automate certain steps in that process and the person who takes care of certain steps. But technology is not required for you to start building systems. It does help you streamline the process but it’s not a requirement. So if you don’t have the money to invest in tech tools, you can still operate more efficiently by documenting your process. Then you can add in the tech later.
When I started my business as a virtual assistant over 10 years ago, I used Google Sheets and several free tools until I had the money to invest in other tools that required money. My client forms were pdfs they had to complete, scan and email back to me. And I hate to say it, but I kept all of my log-ins and passwords in a Google Doc (but please do not do that). Use a secure password keeper. My point is, fancy tools are not required for your business to run like a well-oiled machine.
Now when you are in the position to level up and have the income to invest in some tech tools, I want you to choose wisely. And you don’t need to buy a fancy course you won’t finish or to hire someone like me to create your systems. You can do this on your own, it just may take you a bit longer if this isn’t your expertise.
Don’t Throw Money at the Problem
No matter what anyone may tell you, buying things does not guarantee you will get results. I know I’ve had moments where I’ve been at my wit’s end and I threw money at the problem. It really amounted to me throwing money down the drain.
You buy that course hoping it will solve your problem but it leaves you confused. You invest in the 1:1 coaching or group coaching hoping this person will give you the strategy you’ve been missing…but they don’t.
Now I haven’t created a course but I do have a membership to help you create your business systems and I also create systems for my clients. But believe me when I say buying stuff and doing nothing with it is not going to make a difference. You will still be stressed out by your business. Why?
Because you have to put the time in and get things done. And creating systems requires you to invest a lot of time to get them created and it’s an on-going process. This isn’t a business task that can be completed in a day, not totally. That’s why I work with clients for at least a year. Not to mention you have to update your systems as your business changes and grows. That’s why you should at least do an annual audit of your systems.
And yes, a course or membership could help this process go faster, but you don’t need it in order to create your systems. Now you’re probably thinking I’m crazy and I’m going to put myself out of business. But I’m not worried about that at all. I’m being honest about this because you have to decide what course of action is better for you. So I want you to consider all of the options available. And I will not put pressure on you to work with me in any way.
No matter what route you take to create your business systems, you just need to be disciplined because you know it matters. You need to be disciplined enough to say I’m going to document my processes and I’m going to make this happen. But that does not mean you need to be organized or even be good with technology.
How to Make Progress By Creating Your Systems
This is where the three C’s of streamlining come in.
– First you have to calm down so you can think clearly. Reflect on your why in your business and honestly evaluate your goals and your business operations. Then you will be able to identify what tasks you need to create systems for first.
– Then you need to commit to investing the time and resources needed to get your systems in place so you can focus on the end result you want. Don’t give up when things get difficult because it is worth the effort.
– Then you need to change your habits and actually use your system so you can continuously make it more efficient. Don’t go back to your old way of doing things when it gets hard or you will continue to work in chaos and lose time.
The one thing I want you to remember as I wrap up today is, this is not an overnight project. You are going to have to invest the time into creating systems so that your business runs like a well-oiled machine and isn’t stressing you out.
And if you do not have the resources to pay someone to create the systems for you, then you can do this on your own and I have something that will help shorten the learning curve, it’s the MY-T Society membership.
I created this resource community because I’m in a unique position to offer a different kind of support, education and accountability. I searched for something like this for years but couldn’t find it. So I had to navigate the waters on my own.
If you are a habitual DIYer, have an aversion to technology, are overwhelmed by all of the choices or just want to know what systems you should have in place based on where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, and you want to know how to use technology to run your business more efficiently, then you need to be inside!
It is NOT a course overstuffed with boring videos. It is a high touch done-with-you group mentorship experience at a reasonable price that is going to help you organize your business and support you in learning how to use your tech tools so you can grow your business.
Go to theshannonbaker.com/membership for more information on what you get inside the membership and to join the community today!
So let’s do a quick recap to see what you need to do if your business has you stressed out.
Whether you just started your business or if you’ve been in business for years, you need to create business systems. They will free up mental space and your time so you can focus on the things that will grow your business.
And I don’t want you throwing money at the problem but I want you to commit to putting in the work. You can start to document your processes and create systems on your own, it just may take you a bit longer if you can’t invest in help right now.
Now if you are doing this on your own, just stick to the basics and document how you take care of things in your business until you can invest in tech tools and even some help to automate your processes to save you more time.
You can do this! My goal is to help you get this done whether you work with me directly or not. But I would love to work with you 1:1 or inside the MY-T Society membership!
Links mentioned in this episode
Grab the audio training How to Grow Your Small Business Without Overwhelm
Check out the MY-T Society Membership
Let’s connect online
Follow Me On Instagram: @the_shannonbaker
