Imagine being at the circus and see someone juggle 10 different balls at the same time. Usually, they make it look effortless. But when you try to juggle even 3 balls at one time, you have issues. Now, think about a time when you started a project with a lot of moving parts? Was it a struggle to keep it all organized and consistent? Or did it overwhelm you?
Starting a business is a lot like juggling or working on a project with many moving parts – only it’s typically bigger and usually more stressful.
When someone starts a business, there tend to be many risks. This can cause stress—because, for most people, starting a business requires them to put their life savings and their family’s future on the line.
It’s only natural that you want to do everything in your power to succeed. That’s why you’ve put together a strategic plan and created a financial and marketing strategy. But you still need to have an operational plan.
An excellent operational plan includes detailed procedures for every aspect of your business, including:
This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but I think you get the point.
By creating processes and procedures for all of these critical aspects of your business, you will ensure consistency in your daily operations. This will allow you to run your business efficiently, effectively, and with maximum profitability, kind of like the person at the circus juggling all the balls effortlessly. You, too, can effortlessly manage all your tasks and create a seamless transaction for your ideal clients.
Creating policies and procedures can feel overwhelming or even scary, but it doesn’t have to be. It starts little by little. In the beginning, you’ll want to keep it simple and not worry about “style points.”
If you aren’t sure where to start or would like some help, I’d be happy to sit down with you and help you get started. I’ve had the pleasure of working with thousands of entrepreneurs to help them establish an operation’s manual. If you’d like to learn more or schedule some time with me, please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email at kent@kentgustafson.com.
Schedule a one-on-one call with Kent to create a financial plan with lasting impact.
