So, you’ve decided to launch your own business, and now it’s time to knuckle down and really make things work.
More than five million people in the UK are self-employed, so you’re in a good company looking to strike out as your own boss.
But how best to make sure you can focus on growing your business, especially when you consider that a fifth of new businesses doesn’t make it past a year of trading.
Let’s take a look.
Ease the strain, take the train
Using public transport to get to the office or that next client meeting will mean that you have precious time to concentrate on your work, and not waste time in the car with the radio on.
Got a long trip to Manchester for a crucial meeting, jump on the train and make sure all your notes are in order.
Even a journey as short as taking the train from Cambridge to Cambridge North gives you the chance to check a few emails and set you up for whatever is to come.
Don’t start a new project
… until you finish the first one.
Maintaining that focus on each step of your business will help establish the foundations for more organic growth.
Getting each facet of your operation up to speed gradually means that processes and standards will be well established by the time it comes for expansion and gives you time to train up any staff to do things just the way you need.
Similarly take time to look at the bigger picture; take stock and work out which area of your company needs the most attention and concentrate on fixing it before you move on.
Have you hit a hurdle with logistics? There’s little sense in pushing ahead with orders that you know you’ll struggle to fulfil.
Don’t be afraid of delegation
If you’re confident in your ability to spot talent, then make sure you back it by allowing your staff the freedom to prove their potential.
Chances are, trying to take on too much responsibility will lead to burnout and simply result in a part of your business beginning to lag, potentially proving fatal to the whole operation.
When you’re hiring, try and think about the working environment you want to foster; if it’s still early days for your business, then you’ll likely need to find people with that same drive and work ethic that has prompted you to start your own business.
Look for people that hold a passion for some element of what you’re offering. Are you a customer-facing company? Getting the right people to give those customers the service they’ll want to return for the time and again is absolutely crucial. A happy customer is a returning customer, after all.
