Client Dev & Marketing

ARE YOU WORKING ON YOUR BUSINESS OR IN IT?

Patricia Noel Drain Hits: 402

patricia drain IT’S TIME TO INVEST IN YOURSELF…
How could this ever be possible???
How could I work ON my business?? I was the company’s top producer.
I was the one closing most of the deals…after all, I was the boss. I HAD to work IN the business in order to survive.

THEN I GOT IT…Until I created a business that worked without me, I only had a job, a very demanding job. At first, you feel very protective of your “baby” (that business you nurtured and cared for), but eventually you have to let the “baby” grow up and take on a life of its own. One of my favorite questions for business owners who have started their own company is, “What does your ‘baby’ look like today?”

Some of the responses have been as follows:

o    An out of control teenager.

o    A tired, sick old man.

o    A frustrated old maid.

o    An excited child with no focus.

o    A baby just learning to walk.

For all of the business owners, leaders, and entrepreneurs reading this, have fun filling in the blanks.

What does your ‘baby’ look like today?

If your answer was right on track–profitable and fun, or growing–then stop reading NOW. Please give the book to a friend or business associate who could use the information.

This book is for all those business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders who need guidance and advice in their business.

So, how do you work ON your business instead of IN it?

I can only tell you what I did. You will have to design your own plan that fits you and your company’s style. I did not quit running my desk overnight — that would not have worked in my situation.

But I did decide to stop going into the office in the early mornings, and stay at home where I had peace and quiet and could think about what I wanted this business to look like when it was finished.

It bothers some business owners when I say “finished,” because they think it will always be a work in progress. If you are considering selling the business, you should have a “finished” product to sell.

That is when I wrote my first real business plan. Can you imagine starting a business and not having a business plan in place? If you are like the majority of business owners… yes you can.

I decided to write how my company would operate when it was complete and what it would look like if I ever decided to sell it. I didn‘t realize at the time that this would be the start of a very solid business plan that my future buyers would be very impressed with.

I started with a marketing plan. I then attacked the accounting end of the business, and then public relations. I also addressed how the meetings would be run, how management would work, what computerized systems could be put in place, the kind of training I would emphasize, how the filing would be done, and how the organizational part of the company would work.

It took a lot of time and thought to create the systems that are needed to make a company not only survive, but thrive. As I wrote out each section of the business plan, I continued feeling empowered. I started to feel like I was back in control of my life and my business once again. As I continued to work ON the business, I followed diligently the five musts in goal-setting that I was always speaking about to audiences all over the country.

These five musts have worked consistently for me for years in both my
personal and my business life.

They are:

Goals must be written.

Goals must be attainable.

Goals must have a specific action plan.

Goals must have a deadline.

You must keep score of your goals.

I used a goal-setting sheet that I for each area of my business. Some goals were much longer than others because of the systems I put in place, but they were all as important to the business as the next.

This paperwork was soon bound and became my bible — my ongoing business plan.

Please make sure when you are in this stage of working on your business that you take the time to write a mission statement for your company. Mine was, “We treat both our candidates and clients with the same mutual respect that we practice within our company.” I have had several businesses copy this statement verbatim because they liked it so much, but I would advise you to brainstorm the words and verbiage that apply to you and your philosophy of business.

Well there you have it — SECRET # 1.

I am sure by this time it is very clear what I mean by work on not in your business. However, until you TAKE ACTION, all you are doing is conceptualizing, visualizing, and dreaming of what you want to have happen.

If you continue to just strategize then guess what?

YOU are still working IN your business.

####################

BIOGRAPHY

Patricia Noel Drain is an international author and professional speaker who has over 20 years experience as a business owner in Phoenix, Arizona.
Patricia has built and sold 7 companies to date. Her latest company BUILD A GREAT BUSINESS is helping hundreds of Business Owners around the world think BIGGER about their business.
One of Drain’s beliefs is “If you want to grow your business you have to get out of your own way.” She helps the business owner do just that through her mentoring programs and exclusive retreats.

Contact Info: Patricia Drain & Associates Inc. 16211 N Scottsdale Rd # 463 Scottsdale AZ. 85254 www.patriciadrain.com