You may have started your business with a vision of what you wanted it to be. But somewhere along the way, you made compromises. This article shows you how to get your business back on track.
It can happen to anyone.
One minute you’re busy growing your business. The next minute it’s consuming your entire life.
I know it all too well…
Because it happened to me.
Years ago, I discovered I’d fallen into the same trap as other small business owners before me. I thought that business growth was the most important thing in my life. That I had to do it, even if it meant sacrificing my personal life and goals to get there.
At that point, I stepped back and took a good hard look at my business and personal life.
That’s when I realized that I’d lost sight of what I wanted from my business. It seemed like the business grew out of my hands and out of my control.
There were so many things I could do to improve the business. But that meant that I had to have the courage to go back to the drawing board.
You’re probably feeling the same way about your business right about now. The pandemic has unforeseen consequences that make us question our own sustainability. And whether or not we can actually make it work.
Still, there are things you can do to get your business working for you. But you may have to go back to the drawing board, just like I did.
The List
You’ve always wanted a business that serves you, not the other way around. Discover how these Agency Growth Secrets can help you take back your business and make it work for you.
Tip #1 – Define What You Want Your Business to Look Like
How do you see your business?
When you’re buckling down and changing things, you need to have a clear picture of what you want. And that includes your personal life, too.
So, sit down and envision how you see everything structured and defined.
What’s life like in your vision?
Do you want to come to the office for 40 hours a week? Or maybe you want to change things so that you’re only required to come in a couple of days a week. You may even be able to work remotely so that you have more time for vacations if you want.
Once you define where you want to be, you can start determining goals to get there.
Tip #2 – Prioritize the Things You Need to Fix
It’s easy to tell you that you simply need to fix the things that aren’t working.
But how do you go about it? And is now really a good time to do it?
Well, first things first…
It’s time to do a serious business review.
Take a good hard look at your business, piece by piece. You need to get really honest here so that you can identify and understand your biggest problem areas.
Focus on your priorities and move through them methodically.
Also, it helps if you only focus on the top three to five items first. What usually happens is that if you fix the top priority items, the other things tend to resolve themselves.
Tip #3 – Establish New Behaviors
“If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” - Thomas Jefferson
Things aren’t working the way they are now. You want something more, something different. But it goes a little bit further than making a decision to restructure your business.
Are you ready to make some changes in your own behavior?
You may have to if you want to implement these changes. But then again, this pandemic probably affected some of your behaviors. Now you just need to do it with purpose and your goals in mind.
Remember, any change starts with you as the business owner. Without those changes, you probably won’t see the changes you want to accomplish in your business.
Tip #4 – Give Yourself Permission to Set a Big and Audacious Goal
Don’t make the mistake that many people do: pigeon-hole your own viewpoint.
People stuck in a myopic view of life tend to think that where they are is where they’re going to stay. But there’s magic in making big, audacious goals.
Trust me, I know about audacious goals.
I grew up in a family that struggled to get by. But that didn’t stop me from setting some powerful goals. And a clear vision got me to where I am today.
Driving a nice car, traveling regularly, and the choice to work when I want to. But I was able to become part of the 1% and take action to achieve my goals.
And you can, too.
Tip #5 – Use the Pareto Principle
The Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 Rule, reminds us that inputs and outputs are not a balanced relationship. It may work in a business like this:
- 20% of your business demands 80% of your time
- 80% of your business demands 20% of your time
Let’s say that you purge that 20% of the revenue that’s eating up so much of your time. Or 80% of your business efforts to be precise! That leaves more time for you and your team to focus on attracting your ideal clients and better serve your best ones.
Do It Your Way
You don’t have to sacrifice your life for your goals.
So, if you’ve found that your business is taking up your life and you’ve become enslaved to it, there is hope. You can turn things around with the tips I listed above.
It may require a full restructure or starting over completely, and that’s not an easy thing to ask. I know, I was in your shoes before.
But if you decide to step forward courageously and set those audacious goals and new behaviors, it will pay off at the end.
Just remember that old saying that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Your business won’t do a full turnaround in a day either. Give yourself some leeway to take the necessary steps you need to forge the business that you want.
If you’d like more information about how to create the business you’ve always dreamed about, we can help.
