Many people who opt to run their own businesses find themselves working longer hours for less money than the job they worked so hard to escape from! They finally have the freedom they craved, but it isn’t always sunshine and rainbows.
The Dream.
If you began a business of your own, and within a year, it was making twice the salary of your current job, you would be pretty happy. But what if, in addition to that, you were only working half the hours of your current job?
So, now you’re working half the hours for twice the pay. Sweet. You have time to take your kids to school, learn new skills, get in shape, make new plans, and not stress about money to fund your adventures. How could you get involved in your community and make a difference? All the benefits of this type of blossoming business would feel pretty good, right? How would that go down in your social circles? Do you think your friends would follow your positive lead? Why not strive to be successful in order to be a great leader and money becomes just a bonus? (Hhhmmm—now, that upsets the paradigm!)
Most people would call that scenario a fantasy! Many will say it isn’t possible to have it all. They are wrong. Thousands of people are already living that fantasy and so can you. No, we’re not selling the latest passive income; we’re simply sharing wisdom to build a business that leaves the world better than you found it. Through positivity, discipline, and focus, you can live your values through your brand and align with others to build your business "A-team."
True entrepreneurs never waste time or energy re-inventing the wheel. They talk with the guy who created the wheel in the first place.
1. How do I run a better business and live my best life?
We all need help with our business. That feeling of being stuck or overwhelmed is absolutely normal. At NLC, we discovered that implementing The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) is helping us achieve our dreams.
Get everyone in your business on the same page with your long-term vision and establish a clear plan to get there by doing the right things vs. all the things. Focus on the most important efforts. Ensure that your team members love their jobs and are great at what they do. EOS calls it, "Right Person, Right Seat." Healthy teams enjoy working together to achieve the collective mission. NLC absolutely attributes EOS to our expansive growth! Here’s our contact who can explain how it works and help you get started! (Learn more)
Albert Einstein once said, “It’s impossible to solve a problem with the same kind of thinking that created it.”
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Here’s a tip that seasoned business owners use...
2. Ask, What is Right About the Issue?
Use The 5 Right Questions to Find Solutions.
When you come from a positive perspective, your creativity for problem-solving is switched on and in alignment, before you start. Applying positive creativity can transform your business from a good company into a fantastic one!
The 5 "Right" Questions...
1. What’s right about this issue/situation/strategy? Get clarity of what is working so you can be clear on what is not.
2. What makes it right? Get specific. What about those things make it an effective process for this situation?
3. What would be ideal? No dumb ideas; do a brainstorming session where the box does not exist. What would be the ideal strategy/solution for this issue in a perfect world?
4. What’s missing? What could bring about the ideal situation? Get resourceful. What must we find, create, add, or invent to reach this ideal?
5. What will it take? What’s missing so we can bring about the ideal? Get busy. What will it take to make this issue/strategy/situation ideal? This is where you define your goals.
Using the “What’s right?” perspective will, over time, change your complete mindset about everything you do - not just your business but also your personal and family life.
Try it yourself the next time a conflict shows up, and see how different your attitude immediately becomes.
3. Should I Implement Quarterly Reviews or Establish Weekly SMART Goals?
BOTH! It is good business practice to sit down every 7 days and review the answers to these questions:
1. What measurable action did I take to promote my business?
2. What measurable action did I take to generate more sales for my business?
3. What measurable action did I take to improve my systems?
4. What measurable action did I take to improve communication and project efficiency?
5. Am I meeting weekly with my leadership team to identify and solve key issues?
6. Did I actually do what I said I was going to do—across the board?
7. Did I review how my actions helped or hurt my business?
8. Quarterly measure your success from a bit higher viewpoint and with your long-term goals in mind.
Onward and Upward
The truth is, the more decisions you make and the more action you take, the more efficient you become. And the more efficient you become, the better results you’ll create. Plus, it will take you progressively less time to achieve those results!
TIPS
Unlock success by consulting seasoned professionals who specialize in business. Seek advice from fellow owners; the brilliant ones have failed a few times along the way and can provide valuable insight. Top entrepreneurs seek wise mentors for many parts of their business. Forge partnerships for business growth and longevity by helping others without strings. Promote others through referrals, reviews, and articles like this, or join them for events or community projects that are important to them. It is just good karma.
Remember to respect the expertise of the pros and listen and implement their advice and direction. The pros are pros for a reason; don’t try to tell them how to do their job. Ask them what you need, not demand what you "want." It isn't McDonalds. Also be sure to limit your decision-makers. Too many cooks are a recipe for disaster. Collective consensus is a time-wasting effort that will likely result in a mediocre outcome.
SEO/SEM is something every business needs, but finding a team that does a great job is challenging. Every business needs to be knowledgeable about how people find them. Make it easy for them to do so. It is crucial for your business to establish credibility with the biggest search engines in the SEO realm. SEO/ PPC/SEM are key elements if you wish to scale.
For organic brand marketing, a professional design/marketing team can help your business look and sound like the industry leader you are or hope to be. (Want to be global? Assume the stance!) Plus, experienced marketers know where to fish and "whom you can best serve." These skills help you make more profitable decisions, take practical actions, and streamline your efforts. A great design firm acts as a true partner who saves you money by managing assets, repurposing the brand visuals, and by curating impactful key messaging. This provides a cohesive presentation across platforms which helps your viewer recognize and learn to trust you. Insider tip: Only work with agencies that allow you ownership of your art and access to all raw files. Transparency and generosity are key values your agency should live if you hope to have a lucrative partnership. Freelancers are fine as well, but are generally not around long-term. If you want a comprehensive team that does it all plus provides brand asset security, hire a proven and established design agency.
Answer these questions regularly and reap the benefits of a strong company and culture! How can I do better? What’s working and what’s not? With whom should I partner?
Making greater profits in your business comes down to these important questions: What’s working and what’s not? How can I do better? With whom should I partner?
Answer these questions regularly and reap the benefits of a strong company and culture!
QUICK LINKS
www.neonlizardcreative.com www.scottcda.org Entrepreneur Operating System www.burnsvillechamber.com www.skolmarketing.com www.score.org www.larkinhoffman.com
Make an appointment today! @ Linktr.ee/neonlizardcreative
*Offer for new clients who purchase a $1500+ package through January 31, 2024.
©Neon Lizard Creative 2021 | Rebecca Rausch | neonlizardcreative.com | 952.452.0168
If you would like to guest post on NLC's blog, let us know! We'd love to share your knowledge with our business community.
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