What gets in your way? What keeps you from taking the next steps in your business? How many times have you decided on a new direction for your company or department? And how many times have you actually made those changes?
It’s easy get caught up in the daily tasks that keep your doors open — because these are the actions that feed you. But what about the actions that’ll grow your company and eventually add to your bottom line? How do you juggle what has to be done right now and the strategy work that’ll move your forward?
Start Small But Start Now
You don’t have to stop everything in order to start something new. Take a few minutes. Work on this new addition to the company the first hour of the day. You can use that time to:
- Evaluate and mini-test your idea.
- Map out a plan for implementing it.
- Develop a price list for what it takes to start and maintain.
- Document the benefits and the estimated return on investment.
If you show up daily, that hour will turn into a plan that your team can help you execute. I have redesigned entire programs and small businesses using this strategy.
As You Walk Through the Steps…
You’ll eventually need to pull in more of your team. You’ll also need to commit more time to get “it” set-up, launched and managed. But by then, your early morning work will reveal the benefits of moving forward. And that knowledge will give you confidence and momentum. The real work comes in slowing yourself down long enough to think.
It’s Hard to Move a Business Forward
Especially without a coherent plan. It’s difficult to create an effective plan without some strategy time. Time to sit with the idea, ride with it, talk about it and eventually test it and move forward. The plan you create can save you on the backend. In fact, without this time you may never successfully launch the idea.
At this point in the year, the goal is to keep that New Year’s passion alive with simple, directed, daily steps. Even though you may have to start small to get some ideas off the ground, starting is the key. Start small — but start now.
Business Growth Photo via Shutterstock
Great article, Jamillah. How many small businesses with real promise never reach the heights they should? Hope a few of them read this.
Martin Lindeskog
Jamillah: Great tips. Have you read The Lean Startup by Eric Ries? I ordered it yesterday. I look forward to read it and use it in my tea startup business.
As with pretty much everything in life, it always needs to start with a single step. Once that first step is taken, it only gets easier. Great article!