I bet you have a clear sense of your goals over the next 1-3 years?

Whether they’re to grow your market through the number of client contracts and policies, increase your customer leads, put a new service into the marketplace, acquire a new property within your business, or add new team members….we typically have a sense of what we want to accomplish this year or over the next few years.

Knowing where we want to get to is key for effective goal setting.

But, how do we ensure we’re making regular progress so we don’t get half way through the year and realize how much time has slipped by - slowing growth?

Steering the ship of a business is can be both exhilarating and challenging. Decisions made can have a profound impact on the entire company and its performance. It’s in this context that personalized business coaching emerges as a powerful tool for business owners to not only navigate the complexities of their roles but to thrive and excel.

I’ll dive into the various advantages and positive outcomes that business coaching brings to owners and founders as a not-so-secret weapon.

Many business owners and founders often grapple with the question of where to focus their efforts for maximum impact. When you can hone in a few important areas, you’ll find that the pieces come together, you’re gaining traction and able to create sustainability in your company.

While it's not uncommon to feel pulled in multiple directions, the key to overcoming this lies in a strategic and intentional approach to where you direct your attention.

There are two areas that support yours and your business’ growth: personal and strategic initiatives.

Did you know that 75% of business owners regret the sale of their business just one year after their exit?

No one wants to regret the sale of their business. Yet it happens time and again.

Even if selling isn’t in your immediate future, learning about some of the pitfalls can save you from disappointment:

Regret often looks like…

…a business owner who scored the “number” they thought they wanted, but failed to calculate how much would be taken for taxes.

…a business owner who learned after the fact that there were other exit options available, but now it’s too late.

…a business owner who thought “complete freedom” would be exciting, but feels lost as the months tick by.

When I was in university my degree was a Co-Op program - which meant that I had several work-terms through my degree that allowed me to experience different businesses and industries. It was fantastic. I loved my degree and experiences at that time.

In one particular experience, I had the privilege of working in two businesses that shared admin resources (me) which was a partnership between two individuals - one an interior designer and the other a marketing consultant. It was a fascinating look inside these two diverse industries.

At the time, I noticed two hard-working Business Owners with a passion for their work. It was only years after that experience that I really understood the significance of how they ran their business. 

What I learned:

This is a quick one today…:

I know you have big goals.

Many of you share them with me.

Consider this — WHAT gets in the way of pursuing those big goals?

Whether your goals are for exercise and better personal health, working on your business, starting a second business, spending more time in your personal life or building your team….what are YOUR goals that you would love to be spending more time on - big or small?

I have 2 questions for you to answer…

Has this ever happened to you?

You’re looking at your numbers and year over year, you don’t see any movement in your top-line revenue?

This could be an indication that your business is overly dependent on YOU for its sales.

You might think - of course - I’m the only one who can do sales! — and there’s the issue. For companies with teams there are more options to have others involved in connecting with customers and owning a piece of sales.

For soloprenuers, there are other considerations but there are definitely things to consider and focus on for both types of business owners to get you moving in the right direction.

Listen in for what those are…

If there’s a common culprit that’s discussed amongst business owners and entrepreneurs - it’s this:

There’s never enough time to get it all done! OR I wear too many hats!

The theme here usually involves a very hard-working but overworked owner.

There’s a desire here to gain back some much-needed time and space.

Can you relate?

There are three foundational ways to free-up more of your time so you can go from feeling ‘overworked’ to having more ease and spaciousness in your business (doesn’t that sound nice?!).

If you’re like many Business Owners and Founders, you’ve found a way to delegate to your team members.

What I hear, however, is sometimes you feel like you’re doing a great job and other times it feels like you and your team member are speaking two different languages.

If you feel your delegation is hit or miss, don’t worry, I’ve got a resource for you!

First, why is it important that we delegate in our businesses?

I suspect you know the answer to this already.

One of the common topics that I notice come up from Founders and Owners is how to manage the multiple priorities they have.

There are so many hats we wear that we often have many similarly prioritized initiatives going on at the same time: from managing a newer member of your team, to pricing your services for next year to planning marketing initiatives. The list can be endless.

And they’re all important.

Sometimes, it feels impossible to chose what to focus on next because it IS nearly impossible. They all have to be done!

While everyone’s situation can be somewhat unique, what I do know is this: when we focus on the many, progress is slow; when we focus on the few, we speed up.

Based on KPMG’s 2022 SMB Business Outlook Survey, 83% of SMB leaders are confident in their company’s growth over the next three years.

KPMG has also identified that the single most significant source of growth over the next three years will come from organic growth (innovation, R&D, investments, new products, and recruitment) ranked at 24%. Other forms of growth cited were Digital and Technology Investments 18%, Strategic Alliances with third parties 18% and Attracting Fresh Capital at 10%.

Organic growth involves evaluating your operational models for efficiencies, enhancements, or other initiatives that will strengthen your company.

This is where the consideration of adding value comes in…

Notice I said ‘when’….because really…this happens to everyone.

I wanted to touch on this today, because I’m noticing you taking action and some things are working out and some things…aren’t.

There’s a skill to failing that I wanted to highlight that I’m hoping will be helpful.

So what does failing look like to you?

How often do you celebrate your progress and accomplishments?

I know you have all of them - I see you doing all the things in your business and in leadership.

From getting that new role, hiring a new manager, adding a new admin person, capturing a process you’ve been meaning to, taking more personal time, booking that vacation…..

From small to large these are no easy feats and I invite you to celebrate them.

Happy May 1st. I simply wanted to take the time to send a note to say that I appreciate you hanging out on my email list.

And, I hope this weekend is filled with moments of ease and rejuvenation.

Filled with pauses where you get to slow down and just BE.

One of the topics that like to talk about, but haven’t in a while is the need for space and a sense of balance. Not work-life-balance, per se but creating a sense of space that balances and offsets the busy moments (ahem – busy stretches.)

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to sell your business?

Or, hand it over to a family member who now works, or will be working, in your company?

Is this something you know you’d like to do in the future…or does it feel more abstract and you have no idea how to make it happen?

We’ve all heard stories of successful businesses, passed down to the next generation who have failed the business in some way.

While we can’t predict what a new owner might do - whether that’s a buyer or your own family member we CAN prepare our business the best we can so it operates well, setting the new owner, existing employees and existing customers up for success.

AND there’s a way to do all this so you enjoy the benefits now even before you are ready to transition.

When I was younger I loved to dance. (Well I still do, but I actually took lessons and performed in my youth). What I admired about professional dancers was their athleticism, their grace and their superb amounts of skill. The way they could capture an audience and tell a story through movement.

What I learned was in order to get to be so skilled and master their craft, they practiced all the time and often practiced the basics. Like a musician mastering and warming up with scales. It’s the foundational steps and method that help them to hone their craft. It’s focussing on the foundations of their craft that built the muscle memory and capacity that they have today. The ballet dancers always came back to their pliés.

When I hear and speak to business owners and founders today who want to grow their companies, some of them have all sorts of plans and initiatives. I always love hearing about their plans and vision. It’s inspiring. Until I hear about their method…

As some of you are considering and refining your goals for this year, I want to ask you…do you have a goal to grow your business?

As business owners, ‘growth’ can be a loaded word.

I hear some saying - yes, they’re all about the growth and that’s their focus.

I hear others saying - no, I like my business the way it is, I’m not looking to grow at all.

And also saying - growth means more work from me and I just don’t have more to give.

Maybe there’s even another camp here that isn’t reflected. In spite of what you may think about growth in your own business I think it’s worth deconstructing what growth means.

Does this sound familiar:

You don’t feel like your time is your own, you feel pulled in different directions and there’s never enough time to do all the things you need to do?

And, this impacts more than you; it impacts your family, how much energy you have for other things in your life. You love your business, and want it to succeed, but sacrificing your health, your family, and relationships is not worth the price.

The reality is this: If you don’t take the time to decide what’s important to you, others will…