3 Simple Steps to Manage Your Growing Business

3 Simple Steps to Manage Your Growing Business
by Christine Kloser, "The Conscious Business Coach"

Most entrepreneurs say they want to grow their business. Then, when growth hits, they discover the challenges and issues that come along WITH a growing business. Someone once told me, “If you’re not preparing for growth, you’re preparing for failure” and it’s true. Sorry to be so blunt here, (must be the Sagittarius in me), but it’s important to be READY for your growth.

Growth is one of those things on everyone’s ‘to do’ list; grow my business, grow my customer base, grow my product offerings, grow my subscriber list, grow my repeat business. You get the picture. Now, the picture I want to paint is one that’ll help you handle YOUR growth.

I discovered these 3 Simple Steps on my entrepreneurial journey. There are many more steps I’ve learned, but here are my favorites to get you started.

Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

This was the hardest thing for me to do. I remember the day I ‘flipped the switch’ on my email so it would go to my assistant, rather than me. It was a bizarre experience; to hit send/receive and have nothing appear on my computer screen. It can take a little while to let go of the control you used to have over your correspondence, but it’s well worth it. Just imagine the high priority projects you’ll complete, if you didn’t have to deal with ‘you’ve got mail’.

Not sure how to get started delegating? Here’s what worked for me (and continues to work to this day). Every time I find myself thinking, “I can’t believe I have to do this, I wish I didn’t need to handle that, this is a waste of my time” I write the task on my “delegate these tasks” list. Literally, keep a piece of paper by your desk where you write down every task you do that drives you nuts. Then, when someone shows up to help you, you’ll know exactly what to delegate.

Focus ‘On’ Your Business

Now that you’ve delegated the menial tasks, you’ll have more time to focus ‘on’ your business. Michael Gerber, Author, The E-Myth, and one of my personal mentors made this phrase popular for entrepreneurs. Working ‘on’ your business, rather than ‘in’ your business is how you’ll manage your growth.

By freeing yourself from the mundane administrative tasks, you can now block off time on your calendar everyday to focus on high priority tasks that affect the future of your business. I’ve learned that to manage growth effectively, you shouldn’t be working on anything that pertains to TODAY. Yes, you heard me right. If the task at hand pertains to today, it’s something that can most likely be delegated. In order to focus ‘on’ your business, your time should be spent working on the tasks that pertain to next week, next month, next quarter… next year.

Take Care of Yourself

OK. So, now’s the fun part; taking care of yourself. Your primary responsibility as the owner of a conscious, growing business is to make sure you’re operating at 100%. Entrepreneurs need their health, energy, and peace of mind more than anyone else I know. The amount of creative energy you need to manage your growing business is huge. You can be your best only if you’re not running on an ‘empty tank.’

Some of my favorite ways to take care of myself include: setting office hours and sticking to them, taking weekends off to be with my husband and daughter, exercising 5 days a week, eating healthy foods, soaking in a hot bath, meditating, getting 8 hours of sleep a night, regular trips to the spa (I’m visiting the Chocolate Spa at Hotel Hershey later this month), reading inspiring books, playing chase and Ring Around the Rosie with Janet, cuddling with my husband for a mid-week Spiritual Cinema Circle movie and participating in my monthly women’s circle.

At first, it may not seem that taking care of yourself is going to help manage your business growth; but I can tell you from experience it does! You’ll have much more to give to your business; more space for creative ideas to flow, more joy to help you manifest your desires, more energy to give to your clients, more ease and grace as you lead your business. I encourage you to identify at least three ways you can take care of yourself this week. Get started immediately on keeping your tank full… so you can enjoy the glorious road ahead for you and your growing business.


© 2007 Christine Kloser

Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Christine Kloser "The Conscious Business Coach," publishes the revolutionary ‘Conscious Business Connection’ ezine. If you're ready to integrate business strategies with intangible/Universal principles to help you achieve results faster… and easier, visit http://www.consciousbusinesscircle.com/.