Starting a business should be about creating freedom and flexibility, but too often, that aspect of business design is neglected during the start-up phase when the business is first taking shape. Unwittingly, those decisions made in those early days create traps that become a problem as the business grows, leaving the entrepreneur to be pulling under by the business that was supposed to be the key to freedom.
So how do you design a business that pulls you along instead of pulling you under? One word: intention.
Remember when you first started your business? Chances are you were thrilled to have any business that walked in the door, rarely filtering out unsuitable opportunities. The problem is that those early opportunities shaped your business and that ‘just for money’ one-off that you took out of start-up desperation is the direction your business grew. It happens when you grow your business without a clear vision.
Pulling Along Versus Pulling Under
A business that pulls you along has its own momentum. Instead of you driving the activity, the business has its own energy, capable of functioning with or without you. If you imagine your business as a machine, a business that pulls you along is one that hums away, only requiring you to monitor activity and adjust the knobs and dials every now and then.
On the other hand, a business that pulls you under requires you to act as a cog in the machinery. Central to its function, you are an integral part of its functioning. Instead of monitoring and adjusting the business machine, you are powering it, providing the power behind its mechanisms. If you break down, the entire system falls apart (and if your business is pulling you under, you WILL break down from sheer entrepreneurial burnout).
The Fundamentals of Business Design
Don’t Be the Central Cog — It’s easy to see how this happens as in the early stages, the entrepreneur IS the central cog and out of habit, many of these central activities remain with you. Think about how to eliminate yourself from the day-to-day operations. This is critical if you plan on growing the business beyond yourself as scaleability will quickly become a problem.
Build Scaleability With Systems — While it is possible for you to just ‘know’ what to do in every possible situation, it’s a good idea to start documenting and systematizing your business. Even if you don’t plan on growing beyond yourself, having a set way of handling things guarantees consistency and makes it possible for you to gain efficiency. If you are planning on growing, it is critical to hiring and training your team.
Create Momentum Instead of Driving It — Often the entrepreneur takes on the role of rainmaker. All it takes for business to roll in the door is picking up the phone and making a few calls. The problem is that when you desire to take a break (which is the entire purpose of this exercise), the momentum grinds to a halt. Instead create momentum through effective marketing programs, like a web site that acts as an automated lead generator and sales funnel.
Test Your Design by Leaving — Think your business is capable of surviving without you? Are you confident that you have put everything in place for your team to handle whatever happens without consulting you? The best way to test it is to leave on vacation WITHOUT CHECKING IN. If that means leaving your digital devices behind, do that.
The key is that knowing you plan on leaving your business to run on its own (while you enjoy the freedom and flexibility that prompted you to start a business in the first place) forces you to design more robust systems as well as train and empower your team to handle whatever happens in your absence. Everything else is just you becoming a smaller cog in the machine.