Sustain Your Business using these 4 Steps
Posted by Jennifer Porcher on Tue, Jul 28, 2009 @ 01:02 PM
Jennifer Porcher, Vice President of Educational Services at Collaboration
Business Realities, Meet Personal Vision
Have you ever found yourself faced with the burden of having more business than you can handle? Maybe you have experienced the feeling that you cannot control the growth of your business and that you have a shortage of management expertise. You used to think that you controlled the direction of business, but lately your clarity has become muddled; you're working more hours in a week than you prefer, and you're lacking time for other life responsibilities. Maybe your business has simply outgrown its original business plan and the existing business structure no longer supports the current level of operations.
So where do we go from here?
Step 1: Refocus and redefine your personal vision and long-term goals. How are daily operations impacting the basic personal needs that are most important to living your vision?
Step 2: Review your individual reasons for starting a business. Determine whether power, status, or a desire for control and recognition drive you.
Step 3: Decide if your intent is to operate a business based on growth or lifestyle.
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A growth business may sound ideal, but often times the demands of operating a fast-growing company can make it challenging to balance personal and professional lives.
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On the other hand, a lifestyle business can be limited in size and limited in growth potential.
Step 4: At this point you must choose a business path that best suits you and stick to it. Your goal is to thoughtfully make decisions based on your ultimate purpose for being in business, as defined by your personal vision.
Download an expanded version of these steps to find out the solution to balancing your business life.
The Bottom Line:
The business can take on a life of its own if not properly directed by its leader. This is a fine line to walk and requires the utmost care when you have important business decisions to make.
Don't be afraid to ask for an outside perspective. Talk with someone who can help you to separate the facts from the feelings or recognize emotion among all the fine details. Involving an outside party is a great way to ensure your personal vision becomes your business reality.
Sign up for a Free Hour Business Consultation and let one of our Collaboration Certified Consultants help you determine the right path and structure for your business.