Are You Stuck In Startup Phase?
By Kristie Tamsevicius
www.WebMomz.com
In reality, the business that you have built may be nomore than an elaborate "job" for yourself. Sure you getto be your own boss and work from home, but if you wantto make more money, you need to start thinking like a franchise. Ask yourself, "How can I systematize and automate my business so that it can run without me?" How can you make the process of delivering your product or service turnkey so someone else can easily replicate it?
In his book,
The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most SmallBusinesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
,Michael Gerber explains this concept perfectly.He explains why McDonald's restaurant calls their business"The Most Successful Small Business in the World." In1952 Ray Kroc experienced great success when he discovereda way to create hamburgers "quickly, efficiently, inexpensively, and identically." He devised a process so simple that any high school kid, anywhere, could replicate it. He took that "process" and developed his franchise. That's why you don't need Ray Kroc himself to grill your burger in order to get that McDonald's experience. If you go to a McDonald's anywhere in the world and order a hamburger, you know exactly what to expect because of the standards and procedures he established.
If you were to sell your business today, could it runwithout you? Try to see yourself as a young Ray Kroc, creatively think about how you can make the move from being self-employed to being in command of an efficient self-serving business enterprise.
TOP FIVE REASONS WHY PEOPLE STAY STUCK IN STARTUP STAGE
Many new business owners seem to get "stuck" at thisbeginning stage of business and don't push to the nextlevel. Here are the major reasons why people fail tomove past the startup phase of business:
Complacency: It's easy to get caught in thestatus quo and become so busy that you forget to planfor the future. When things are going smoothly, it'sa perfect time to dream, ponder, and plan your next moves.
Lack of vision: If you could do anything in yourbusiness with no limitations what would you do? Spend some time daydreaming. Brainstorm with your business coach or a friend about what's possible. Don't stifle yourself by waiting for the "good" ideas. Let the ideas flow out of you. Then narrow the list down to the winners. Keep an idea file and store all your thoughts there.
Loss of control: If you aren't careful, expandingyour business could lead to added responsibilities,lack of control, and loss of freedom unless you systematize your work duties. Imagine your business as a machine. If you wanted a machine to perform better, you would probably need to add a high performance engine, oil it, and make sure it is well maintained. Similarly, when you grow your business, you will need to add the people and parts to perform the extra tasks. Growing the business does NOT have to mean that you personally do more.
Fear of change: Routines feel comfortable, like aworn pair of jeans. And changing your business can bea fearful thing if you let it. Once you acknowledgethe things you are afraid of, they lose power over you.Like the mice in the book
