How to Improve Your Business Operations

Ever found yourself in a DIY situation at home, reaching for that trusty duct tape to patch things up temporarily? Well, let me tell you, we often do the same in our businesses. We become ‘Duct Tape CEOs,’ kinda like MacGyver, using makeshift solutions to keep things going.

Unfortunately, these quick fixes can lead to chaos and stress that leaves you feeling helpless when it comes to your business operations. So today we’re going to talk about proactive steps you can take which are more long-term solutions that are more permanent. But this has to start with a mindset shift.

1. Breaking Free from the Comparison Game

The images you see on social media often make it seem as though everyone else but us has this entrepreneur thing all figured out. But we don’t really see what happens behind the scenes Late nights burning the midnight oil, their health may be taking a hit from the stress, and the simple truth that success doesn’t usually come easy. They want you to think it’s a breeze to hit six figures, and they promise that their blueprint will get you there too. But let me tell you a secret, blueprints are for construction projects, not businesses. Businesses, especially yours, are unique and each business needs a custom solution.

That is one of the biggest reasons I offer Solo POWER Assessments. After I get a clear picture of your current business operations, I give you a custom action plan so that helps you figure out what’s going on in your business. It tells you what’s working well and what’s not-so-great. Think of it this way: you know those problems that make you toss and turn at night, and you are constantly wondering how to fix them? Well, this assessment helps you understand those issues better.

Learn how Solo POWER Assessments can provide the clarity you desire and help you navigate your unique path to success.

2. Building a Strong Business Foundation

I feel that every business journey has four phases. And during each phase there are specific systems and resources you need to continue making progress.

Phase 1 – Incubation: This phase is where you have the idea to start a business using your skills and natural abilities. Now at this point you don’t have a proven product but you’re testing things out. You have decided what problem you solve and you have an idea of how you can get paid but you aren’t quite sure.

Phase 2 – Startup: When you find your place in the digital space, you begin to market your business sharing that particular solution for a specific type of business owner or target market. You find that you have to invest a lot of your time and resources but you are not going to generate much if any income so you’re bootstrapping which is ok. That’s what most of us did when we started our business. I know I did!

Once you start working with clients you will gain clarity which is going to be a game changer! The four pillars of clarity will empower you to thrive in your entrepreneurial journey! Learn more about these pillars in this blog post. They are time management and productivity, work-life integration, mindset and streamlined operations. When they are combined they serve as your roadmap to achieving balance and success.

Phase 3 – Growth: This is when your business produces more revenue and requires more resources (money, time, tools, processes). The fun part of this phase is you are now in position to create intellectual property to share your expertise and establish yourself. This is definitely when you need to think about investing in experts to help you get the right pieces in place. It is critical to make sure you have the pieces needed to successfully grow your business. Free is great but when you really want to grow your business, you have to get some skin in the game and pay for that “pick your brain” session.

Phase 4 – Scaling: When you reach this phase you should have systems in place which save you time. You’re generating income and building on the things that are working in your business. But it doesn’t require more resources.

But with this phase comes growing pains because you may need to make some upgrades to your existing systems. The goal for any of these changes is to create a more efficient business that stays in alignment with your vision and your lifestyle.

Now if you are in phase 2, 3 or 4, I want you to beware of some of the so-called expert advice that’s out there, specifically that you need to hire a virtual assistant. Delegating is a leadership skill that allows you to leverage the strengths and capabilities of others to free up time and space for you to focus on revenue generating tasks. Discover the power of delegation and why it’s a strategic move when done right in this blog post.

And if you would rather have me look over your current business operations to see if you’re ready to make this move, be sure to book a Solo POWER Assessment with me. After that two hour call, I will give you a custom action plan that identifies any gaps in your current operations that you should address so that you can make this move successfully.

The transition that you go through as your business starts growing can make or break you. Time is the one resource you have that you need to use wisely. Money is just a tool that you use in your business to get things done. So when you are ready to create the success you desire, there needs to be a shift in your mindset. You have to accept that everything can’t be fixed with duct tape. You have to start investing in specialists to build a strong foundation to support your business growth.

Let’s leave behind the era of “quick fixes” and step boldly into a future where our businesses flourish, our schedules are under our control, and we’re firmly on the path to achieving the success we desire. The key is to develop processes and procedures to break tasks down into smaller jobs. Then you automate what you can using tools. Once that is done, you can then identify how to get the remaining tasks done.

There are six core systems you need to get in place no matter what phase of business you are in. I give an overview of all of them in this podcast episode. The great thing is you don’t have to create them all at the same time. You can focus on creating them one at a time.

Having systems in place is the difference between being able to hit your growth targets or spinning your wheels and getting nowhere. Don’t get in the way of your own success! Take action now so that you can move forward the rest of the year and at least get close to reaching your growth goals.

Whether you’re ready to jump in feet first with a Solo POWER Assessment or simply curious about your options, schedule a free 15-minute discovery call with me. The future is knocking on your door, and it’s full of opportunities for growth, control over your schedule, and achieving those big goals you’ve set. The success you desire isn’t a dream—it’s just around the corner, waiting for you to step up and claim it.

If you would like to hear the expanded version check out the podcast episode below.