The Biggest Problem You Need to Address

You’re a professional service provider. So, what’s the number one problem you’re having in building or expanding your business?

The answer’s likely to be different if you’re a more seasoned professional vs. someone who’s not fully established, so I’ve divided this newsletter into two parts. Scroll down to the heading that best describes where you are and use this as a way to diagnose what you need to do to move forward!

For New Business Owners …

You know what I see? A lot of folks trying to fit the work of growing their businesses into their daily schedules … rather than making their work their central focus!

Now, that’s understandable. We all have a lot on our plates and sometimes other things have to take priority. I get that.

But it’s one thing to get pulled away from the work you’re doing to build the business and another to never put it front and center to begin with.

For some, maybe the business is more of a hobby than a real business. That’s okay, as long as you understand the limitations that imposes. But what you put into the business is usually what you get out of it. I just hate to see people kidding themselves, thinking they can just dip a toe in and still see the business really take off.

For others, they may see their business as a top priority, but when it comes time to devote themselves to the effort needed to grow it, they let other stuff get in the way … and sometimes that’s just a symptom of fear, doubt, or insecurity around what steps to take.

Here’s an example, if you want 8-10 clients, you have to dedicate 8-10 hours to marketing every week. Time and effort in … results out. It’s that simple. You have to be out meeting new people and talking to folks face to face.

One of my clients realized through our coaching that she was “working her business at the edges.” And yet, it’s just like when you don’t have a job and you’re looking for one. Looking for a job needs to become your full time job. When your professional practice isn’t as full as you need it or want it to be, your job is to work on filling it.

Sure, the more clients you have, the more time you’re gonna want to spend working in the business than on the business. AND … the fewer you have, the more time you need to be out marketing yourself.

For Established Business Owners …

It’s a different story for the more established professional. The issue is capacity. There’s only so much of you to go around!

Bottom line: Your business can’t expand unless YOU expand!

How do you expand your capacity to receive … and serve … when you have your hands full already? There are 3 keys.

You have strong, streamlined processes in place. And your procedures should be written down. Why is that important?

Because the second key is expanding your team and it all ties in. Hire contractors and employees to do the work you’re neither expert at, want to do, nor should be spending time doing. And, if the new people are gonna be of real service to you, they’ll have to know what you want them to do. They’ll need procedures to work from and you’ll have to train them well.

It’s an investment in time and money, but it’s worth it

It just makes sense to pay someone $15 – $30 an hour so you can use that time to bill $150-200 an hour … or more.

Lastly, there’s an intangible that can lift you up or hold you down.

Your mindset … and what you say about your situation.

You can’t tell the Universe you’re overwhelmed and overloaded and expect it to keep flowing clients and opportunities to you … and yet I hear it all the time! What if you said this instead? “Please send me the folks who need me as I steadily expand my capacity to serve them.”

Now we’re talkin’!

Whether you’re in the building phase or looking to find that extra capacity, just remember, people need you … and we need to find a way to serve as many as we can, as well as we can.