Let’s be honest with ourselves, shall we? Running a small business is no easy task, but you already knew that. Perhaps you don’t have the staff, the money, the time, the patience, the knowledge, or the necessary resources that a larger or more well-established business does.
Sound familiar? We are here to tell you that being stuck is OKAY and NORMAL. What it really means is that something must change for you to achieve the type of growth and sustainable success you know is possible. Change is scary; however, it can also be a game changer.
In this piece, we want to educate you about how to get your business “unstuck” and give you a distinct perspective than you currently have. Life is complicated. Business is complicated. We want to break it down and make it simple. We all crave simple.
Leadership:
Being an entrepreneur is tough business and it’s easy to get lost “in the business,” but what about working “on your business”? How do you do both? Can you do both?
Are you the type of leader that’s delegating work so you can concentrate on what you need to do? What you should be doing? Are you even sure of what that means?
With a defined vision, the flexibility to adapt and high-powered accountable leaders and teams, small business success IS attainable. It sounds like a lot, but we’re not here to overwhelm you. In fact, quite the opposite. We’re here to help you enhance, advance and grow your business in simple and effective ways.
Part of leadership is knowing how to lead and identifying when it is time to let someone else take over. This is where trust comes in. Peter Gasca from the CoBE Institute at Coastal Carolina University, shares that “one of the most difficult decisions for business leaders to make during periods of rapid growth is to know when to step aside and allow other individuals to steer the company.”
There are going to be instances where you, the small business owner, must be involved, such as strategic planning and hiring key staff. That said, you must also be able to trust those around you, those you have invited to be part of your business village. They’re believers and there to help you achieve the strategic goals and vision of your business.
Firas Kittaneh, small business owner, self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur and CEO of Amerisleep, writes in a piece for Inc.com that “Every business owner must learn to get a feel for these situations and step in when needed without burdening their leadership team.” Leveraging the strengths of your extended leadership team is a growth accelerant for you. You are wise to take full advantage of it.
One way to keep your leadership team moving in the same direction and growing together is through continual leadership development and training. More about that coming your way soon.
Strategy:
Building a business, growing a business, and sustaining a business, each come with their own set of challenges. As your business gets larger, different problems will demand different solutions. Sounds a bit like life, doesn’t it?
What worked for you when you were first getting started may not be what is needed today. It is important to be thinking about adjusting your business plan on a regular basis, following changing marketing conditions and innovating accordingly. If you want to continue to grow and mature your business you must remain flexible, adaptive and resilient to changing conditions and demands.
“As your business grows, your strategy also needs to continually unfold to suit your changing circumstances. For example, your focus is likely to change from winning new customers to building profitable relationships and maximizing growth with existing customers,” says InfoEntrepreneurs.org.
Ensuring customers are happy is priority number one as they make or break your business. We get that and agree. When you started your business venture, you may have wanted to be hands on, addressing every issue and personally handling it. As you grow and expand, a more “decentralized” approach will empower your team, help control the chaos and drive growth. When you game plan with your team and provide clear direction, they can easily handle certain issues which will allow you more time to focus on strategically building your business.
A tip to consider, understanding who to include in your inner circle can get personal, as many may have been with you from the start. If your business is “stuck,” as uncomfortable as it can be, a shift in who works for you and who no longer works for you, is a necessary step in becoming “unstuck”.
Company Culture:
The culture of your company is impacted by everyone who is part of your organization. You know the saying, “happy wife, happy life?” Of course, you do. Well, same goes for your business.
As your business grows, it is pertinent to maintain an environment to support that growth. To accomplish this, Firas Kittaneh suggests, “letting your company values guide all of your decisions and hiring great people who will embrace their role as champions of the organizational culture. With allies on your side at all levels of the business your culture will be allowed to grow and flourish.”
We are all on a constant mission to discover balance, both in work and in life. It can be a daily struggle, and one that needs to be kept in check. If your “workforce is operating at “crazy” on the stress meter, you need to fix that, because growth is tough to come by in an environment where people are too overworked to even think.” Well said, Entrepeneur.com.
Growth:
The concept of your business getting larger is an exciting one. One that you dreamed about for as long as you can remember. It can also be terrifying. Sometimes you need to be careful of what you wish for because you need to be prepared for those wishes when they come to fruition. Not every small business is set up for expansion and it can often be the dream that kills the business.
Expansion means more support, as support is an essential tool for success. You simply cannot do it all alone. Many have tried, but there are only so many hours in a day and so many tasks one can take on and do well.
Jennifer Bezoza, Executive Coach and Organizational Development Consultant, tells Forbes.com that, “In most cases, it’s always easier to approach problems with more heads thinking about how to face a particular challenge.” Jennifer shares that entrepreneurs in small business often feel like they need to accomplish everything on their own, which is a mistake, too much pressure and not realistic.
Growth and leadership go hand in hand. Executive Coach, Mark Thompson, tells Inc.com ,”To grow sustainably means that you, as a leader, are the change agent — you’re driving transformation rather than waiting for it to run you over.”
So now that you are aware of what is holding you back, what are next steps? First, take a deep breath. Next, realize you are not alone on your business adventures. You can and will have the proper support you need to succeed.
We will make you the strong leader you know you are capable of being and improve your business and organizational culture. We will restore balance and help with work/life integration to ensure you; your employees and families feel the positive effects resulting from your thriving business.
Stay tuned for the next article in our series, RE-EVALUATING YOUR BUSINESS…AND YOU, and find out how to carry out those dreams you set out for yourself.
