Business Success Tips - Will the Real Business Owner, Please Stand Up

Have you ever felt that way? You started your business with full intentions of being the boss, running the show, calling the shots, (you know where we are going with this), But over time, things happened and now you are feeling more and more like someone else is at the helm of your business. Commitments, deadlines, too much travel; what happened? When did you lose control? Well, we can’t really tell you exactly how it happened, except to say that it happens to the best of us, but we can tell you what to do about it.

Our top tips to help you reclaim your business include:

Recognize – The first step is to dig deep and realize where the problem lies. No excuses. We know you are busy, but that’s probably one of the reasons this is happening and how you lost control in the first place. You need to recognize the challenges you are facing so you can see where you need to make changes. Are you not in charge due to too much travel, too many speaking commitments, too much paperwork, or other reasons? If so, write them down so you can see them clearly in black and white. And be specific. Simply saying “I’m too busy” isn’t enough; you need to be very specific so you can later focus on that particular challenge.

Reflect On Your Skills – Make a checklist – Where do you excel? What are you truly good at? Are you a fabulous speaker and once you get in front of people they cling to your every word? Do you coach others and have testimonials of those who have truly excelled as a result of your coaching? What is it that you are passionate about and love doing? Write it down and remember—our goal is to help you do more of these things.

Reflect On Your Business - Now, during a typical week, how much time are you devoting to the tasks you truly excel at? Review your checklist after a few days of actual work and see how you match up. To make it even clearer, use a yellow highlighter to mark the times during the day when you are doing the things you excel at and get paid the most for. (Eye opening isn’t it?) How much time are you really spending on what you do best?

Take Charge – Did the exercises above make it clear to you that you are no longer the CEO or head of your business? Now that you know where the problem lies, what are you going to do about it? You need to set in motion steps to make a change. And don’t just say—I’m going to change. Start by setting small goals, and write down specifics for how you truly can change. Again, it’s important to get specific.

Do Less – What? Yes, let me repeat that. Do Less. You shouldn’t be doing it all. And if you are, that’s the problem. We know you’ve heard this before, but this time, truly apply it to your own business, right now. You rarely see a CEO of a major corporation doing bookkeeping, setting up or maintaining their own website, sending out their ezines and newsletters, preparing their travel arrangements, or creating their own PowerPoint presentations. So then, why are you? To reclaim your business, and your position in your business, you need to do less…less of the wrong things and more of the right things.

Hire an Online Support Specialist - You need to hire an online support specialist. You need someone who can take over those tasks that are tying up your time but not making you any money so you are free to really run the show again. Not only can they take over these tasks, but their experience can help you master other things as well. Things you know you need to do, but just don’t have the skills or experience to do well … or do at all.

Wouldn’t it feel great to be in charge again and feel that victory and excitement you felt when you started your business? Take these steps and see just how easy it is to do. And remember, we are here to help and can take over the tasks that are holding you back.