The Impact of Operations on Your Business Longevity
When you start a business, you don’t invest all of your time and hard work, expecting it to last a few years before it fizzles out. No, you want to develop a brand that lasts.
Building a sustainable business involves many moving pieces, like your brand identity, market, sales approach, and quality of your products or services. However, none of these elements matter if you can’t keep your internal operations organized. You may have great products that attract lots of leads, but it does no good if you aren’t responsive or tend to lose track of your workflow.
A strong operational foundation is what allows your marketing, sales, and client management strategies to thrive. Otherwise, you will never get out of the grind. It’s time to step out of your own way and get your business on a fast track to long-lasting success.
Why operations?
I know systems and processes are the least sexy part of running a business. It doesn’t lead to direct profit, you aren’t showing it off on social media, and it usually involves sitting at your desk for hours on end. If operations give you a headache, you’re not alone. Many creatives face the same challenge when tasked with left-brained activities.
However, this is no excuse to let your internal systems fall into disrepair. Operations is not a set-it-and-forget-it notion, as your business model, your client base, and your market are constantly evolving. You need to dedicate real time to work on your business so you can enjoy more freedom working in your business.
If you’re the type to fly by the seat of your pants, wait until a deadline is imminent to get started and rely on a sticky note to remind you about invoicing, are you really setting up your business for success? How long can you truly sustain that way of doing business?
It’s time to set aside the “figure it out later” mindset and focus on getting your operations into shape now so you can enjoy a profitable future.
What do I do?
Before taking any action, you need to first sit in your business as it currently stands. Where are you spending most of your time? What tasks do you find yourself pushing off over and over again? Identify the areas that are not serving you, so you can make a plan to address them.
If your finances are all over the place, go find an accountant who can take over your bookkeeping. If administrative tasks just aren’t your thing, hire a virtual assistant or a part-time office manager to manage your calendar and inbox. Stop letting yourself fall victim to the things you aren’t good at or don’t particularly enjoy. Think solutions, not excuses.
As you slowly build up your operational efficiency, you will find more peace, productivity, and inspiration throughout your day. You might even rediscover your passion for running a business. It’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day parts of entrepreneurship, but by intentionally auditing your systems regularly, you will create a business environment that not only brings in a profit but feels amazing doing so.
A thriving business has a thriving leader who is committed to overcoming obstacles and pushing for growth. That means getting your internal operations into full gear so you can take back control and focus your energy on doing what you love most. Now, go forth and flourish!
Jennifer Taylor is the principal of Jen Taylor Consulting, a consulting firm that works with creative businesses of all sizes to implement streamlined workflows and organized systems to find more time and space for business growth and personal development. She is also the owner and founder of Taylor’d Events Group, a leading event planning company that serves local and destination clients in Washington State and Maui, HI.
