Why are you running your business?
Updated: Apr 13
People usually start running a business for a certain number of reasons:
* To solve a problem
* To fill a gap in the market
* To do something better than everyone else is doing it
* To earn more money
* For freedom
There will of course be those that go into business to make a load of money, but this isn't usually the first priority, because if you have any common sense about you, you will know making money in your own business takes a lot of time and effort, and, you're usually the last to get paid.
Instead, you might have decided you want to spend more time with your family and less time with your nose to the ground, or perhaps you're sick of a bad product that you know could be done better. Whatever it is, you had a vision, but keeping hold of that vision isn't always easy.
Most business owners find that they have to take on more roles than they bargained for in their business. Bookkeeper, secretary, social media manager, maybe even the delivery driver. Here you were, going into business with imaginings of being the guy at the top, the CEO, the Director, never in your wildest dreams did you imagine you would have to take on roles you not only don't enjoy but have no clue how to do.
The problem with having to wear all these hats is that it starts to drain you of the number one resource you need to run a successful business. Your time. If you're not careful, you can find yourself chasing your tail and suddenly, the very reason you went into business is lost.
The dream is moving further away, the things that matter are no longer a priority and the actions you need to take to grow your business are on a battered piece of lined paper you can't even find anymore.
This isn't exactly what you signed up for, is it?
When starting a business, it's important to have a strategy to implement your people systems from the very beginning otherwise you will fall into the false belief that you can do it all yourself, and nobody can do it better than you.
One of the first things you should do is consider hiring an admin assistant, someone to take care of the admin tasks that you really don't need to do yourself. You will probably tell yourself that it's a waste of money, that you can do it yourself so paying someone seems ridiculous. But you have to remember that this isn't just about spending money, it's about keeping hold of your precious time too.
If you can't afford to take on an admin assistant or have no physical workplace, a Virtual Assistant is a brilliant option. Services like ours are flexible, allowing you to take on the support you need on an ad-hoc basis or within a fixed amount of hours each month. We allow our clients to cancel anytime so always look out for that option, it can be a real safety net when you're not sure you're going to be able to commit long-term.
Next up is ensuring you have an accountant and a bookkeeper. Leave accountancy to the professionals and get someone in to keep your books straight. If you don't have a complex business, your Virtual Assistant or a secondary assistant (to keep things smooth) can do this for you too.
Having these people on your team right from the start will allow you the time you need to grow. Don't panic that you won't be able to afford them, sometimes it's best to get the support mechanisms in place first and worry about everything else later. knowing if you have people relying on you will boost your determination to get new clients over the threshold or sell your products to as many people as possible.
From there on out, it will depend on the type of business you manage. The most important thing to try to remember all the way through your journey is the reason you started in the first place. Perhaps print it out and pop it on your wall, or have it as your screensaver so you see it each time you start up your computer.
If you've already started your business and can relate to this post, it isn't too late to put measures in place. Stop making excuses, remind yourself why you started out, and take action today. Good luck!
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