Do you dislike many of the tasks you find yourself doing in the role of the business owner?
Are you working 60 hours a week while profits stay relatively the same?
Has it been 2 or more years since you’ve had a true vacation?
You can create a more enjoyable role for yourself as small business owner. And you enjoying your small business owner role more will also be a big boost for the success of your business.
In the role of the small business owner, virtually every owner I coach is saddled with tasks he or she doesn’t want to do. You got into the business because you loved what you were doing but over time, to make your business work you had to take on numerous other functions— payables & receivables, business development, information technology—and somehow you find you’re in a job you hate. Coming to work is no longer fun. You question why you went into business in the first place.
Take small business owner Jenny, an architectural design firm owner, struggling with all the tasks that everyone says the role of the business owner is supposed to entail. She was juggling business development with running day-to-day operations along with keeping the company’s financial books. Her work life for the last couple of years left her frustrated and unhappy. My point to her was that she really needed to figure out what she wanted to do—what she enjoys and what she’s good at. It turned out that she loved project management, had organization skills and so was good at it. I encouraged her to focus a substantial amount of time on project management which, for her business, was a critical function.
We identified which functions she disliked the most and began to look at other staff members to pick up the roles that she no longer wanted to carry. We found that the new bookkeeper/receptionist was really outgoing and had a good understanding of the customers’ needs. Turns out she loved business development and sales. The marketing person really enjoyed getting his hands dirty in the daily operations and was good at finding ways to improve processes. He’s now adding value and enjoying success as Jenny’s Operations Manager. She outsourced the majority of financial tasks. The result? She elevated the jobs, and the fulfillment, of 2 key staff members while making the role of the small business owner more enjoyable for herself. The contribution of all three have escalated the business: sales have increased, operational processes are improving, and project deadlines and outcomes have improved.
Improve your satisfaction by engaging in a planning process
Small business planning caused Jenny and her team to find a way forward. It inspired them to see what was possible. And it gave them confidence—confidence based on research, multiple perspectives and inputs, and step-by-step action steps. Today, morale is high and growth is steady and strong.
Small business planning costs very little to create in terms of your time or your money. How can you afford not to create a business plan for your business?
You can follow the planning process Jenny followed. Join us at my quarterly small business plan workshop in central Indiana. Business owners come together and get outsider perspectives to help each other complete their 1-Page Strategic Plans and 90-Day Action Plans.
Register for the first quarter’s Growth Plan Business Planning Workshop here.
Thur., Jan. 7, 2016, 9 – 4 pm
Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Airport, 8910 Hatfield Dr., Indianapolis 46231
You’ll walk away with:
- A clear picture of where you want your business to be in 10-30 years, a 3-5 year plan, a 90-day plan, & monthly goals broken into weekly actions
- Your 12-month goals broken into bite-size quarterly goals, monthly milestones, & weekly actions
- Strategies to build your profits right away
- Renewed optimism
Roger Engelau, Business Coach to Business Owners in Every Industry
P.S. Secure your seat by Jan 4 for The Growth Plan Workshop and get over half off the normal price. Click here to register. Your role of small business owner doesn’t have to include laboring day in and day out performing tasks you hate. Carve out a role that you enjoy. You’ll be better at it and your business will be better for it.
