| A friend of mine recently called me and said that | | | | And not using modern technology but with good |
| an associate of his was pushing him to hire | | | | old-fashioned pencil and paper. |
| employees and expand his business. My friend and | | | | Every week I become the 'John Madden' of |
| his partner had only been in business for | | | | business and write out notes, questions, and even |
| themselves for three years and seem to be | | | | diagrams with arrows and lines on a single, blank, |
| handling the full workload between the two of | | | | unlined piece of paper detailing my goals for the |
| them just fine. Still having time to travel and | | | | week. I call it my weekly business plan. For |
| spend quality time with their loved ones. Their | | | | example, obtain 5 new clients, write 2 articles, |
| clients know them by name when they are on | | | | clean out file sorter on desk, research call |
| site and have an excellent rapport with all of | | | | answering services, what vendor lists are out |
| them. They are building their business, growing | | | | there related to my industry? Google these |
| and increasing their annual income by | | | | terms: etc. |
| approximately $15,000 each year. Do you think | | | | Not only does this allow me to see or visualize |
| my friend is ready to expand? | | | | my goals for the week, but it puts me in the |
| If you answered no or not yet, you and I are on | | | | positive frame of mind to go out and get what I |
| the same page. One of the most common | | | | want for my business! |
| reasons for business failure is expanding too soon | | | | One thing you also want to do is make sure this |
| or too fast. So when do you know when it is | | | | weekly goal sheet lines up with your overall |
| time to expand and begin hiring employees? When | | | | business plan. Be as specific as possible in your |
| you can no longer provide 100% quality customer | | | | goals. You can even create a 2 column do's and |
| service to ALL of your clients. For example, if | | | | don't s list for yourself. For example: Do answer |
| you cannot take on new work, you cannot meet | | | | the phone with a smile on your face. Don't |
| deadlines, or there is an increase in your error | | | | respond to emails in anger or haste. |
| rate. | | | | And lastly, do not underestimate the power of |
| I've said before that growing your business takes | | | | writing, especially with a pencil and paper! You can |
| time and is nothing to rush into. Hiring employees | | | | use this technique just as well in your personal life. |
| means taxes and benefits must be paid, more | | | | i.e. research classes to take at local college, is |
| management is needed, as well as other business | | | | online university better choice?, find childcare for |
| "headaches". In order to keep up with the fast | | | | evenings, join gym. |
| pace of running your own business and not burn | | | | If you write out your plans you are much more |
| yourself out from working too many hours, it | | | | likely to remember it, focus on achieving it, and |
| may be helpful to take up writing. Not writing as in | | | | accomplish it! Happy Planning! |
| short stories, but writing out your weekly goals. | | | | |