Tag: it solutions

Getting Your Solopreneur Work-Life Balance Just Right

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So many of us dream of working alone. We’ve worked for the man, we’ve faced massive commutes and long hours. We’ve had jobs that leave little time for a social life, that mean that we have to work weekends and holidays, and our relationships and health have suffered for work. We imagine that working for ourselves will be completely different. 

We think that we’ll work when we want to, when it suits our lifestyles. And that we’ll always take time off work when something important, or fun comes up, that we want to do instead. We know that we’ll work shorter hours, take more time for ourselves, and get a lot more rest. That our stress levels will be low, our relationships will flourish, we’ll be healthy and happy, and that our previously elusive work-life balance will be perfect. 

This is rarely the case. Most solopreneurs find that they become workaholics. They can’t stop. They never take full-days off, they always put work first, telling themselves that it’s ok because they love what they do, and they can’t go ten minutes without checking work emails or updating social media plages. Many solopreneurs are terribly stressed out, and their work has spilled into their lives, leaving no balance at all. Here are some tips to help you to claw that balance back.

Stop Being Solo

Sometimes, the only way to get back a little time for ourselves is to accept that we can’t do it all alone and ask for help. This applies to most areas of life, not just businesses. But, that doesn’t mean that you have to hire staff to work side by side with you, which isn’t always possible if you work from home. You could outsource your IT Solutions, or hire a freelance VA to help with admin and social media. You can still feel like you work solo, without having to do all of the work. 

Make the Most of Flexibility

One of the reasons that you went solo was probably a search for more flexibility. You have it now if you want it. There’s no one making you work, but you. Remind yourself of this when you need to. 

Write Down Your Priorities

What are your priorities? Why did you start working alone? What did you most want from the arrangement? Did you want to spend more time with your family? Or spend time with friends? Would you like to exercise more? Or spend more time outside? It’s all too easy to forget our priorities in life when we’re so busy, so write yours down and leave them somewhere that you can see. 

Write Things Down

Writing things down has another benefit. Writing to-do lists can help you to manage your time more effectively, making it easier to stick to a schedule, clock off when your list is completed (don’t keep adding to it!), and take entire days off. 

Make Plans for Life

Sometimes we need firm plans in place to give ourselves permission to take time off work. Make plans with friends, and make bookings so that you are less likely to cancel.

Tips To Improve The Cybersecurity Of Your Business

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As a business owner, you’ll know that the security of your data is paramount. Data breaches can be inconvenient, costly and risky to say the least. As the cybercriminal moves with the technological times; so should you! With this in mind, let’s consider some essential tips to up your protection game. 

Multi-factor authentication 

Gone are the days when a strong password was enough! If you want to improve your security, it’s a good idea to go for multiple layers of authentication. A strong password is the first step. The next is authentication via a code; this code can be sent to the users iPhone for example. Some businesses go for a third method of authentication as well as these two steps. The third method is generally more advanced, for example, fingerprints or voice recognition. Security is especially important when employees are accessing your network on the go and from multiple devices. It’s also a good idea to use mobile device management so that you can monitor the devices which access your network.

Cloud-computing 

IT solutions like cloud-computing arrive with plenty of benefits, one of which is improved security. Cloud-computing systems use robust security regulations and have inbuilt antivirus software. These systems are encrypted to protect your data continually. It’s also simple to remotely wipe a device if it’s lost or stolen. With cloud computing, it’s easy to access your network anywhere and any time. Such features will increase the productivity of your business. You’ll also save money on IT equipment due to the use of remote servers. Cloud-computing can improve your communication as you can integrate your voice calling, messaging and email all on one platform. When you take steps to improve your productivity, you’ll have more time to spend on top priority tasks. 

Update your software

Software updates seem to pop up constantly, so some find them a bit of a bother. The fact is, it’s essential to install every update that comes up. Running software on older versions only makes you more vulnerable to security threats. Don’t be tempted to ignore software updates even if you’re really busy. It’s well worth the time it takes to update rather than risking a breach or a virus. Strong anti virus software should help you to decrease these kinds of risks. 

Train your staff

Your staff are the hub of your operation, so it’s vital that they are adequately trained on security. Ensure that they understand all the ins and outs of your security policies to minimize mistakes. You could also invest in a cybersecurity training course if you wish to help your staff further. Straightforward advice about not writing down or sharing passwords can go a long way. Password management tools can also come in handy to keep everything safe and sound.

Security breaches can put your company at risk and waste your time. It’s best to sit down and create a well designed policy and action plan to protect yourself. With a little research you’ll find the solutions which best suit your company and your current needs.

What Your Business Should Know Before Digitizing

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It’s easier than ever to run a successful business thanks to technology. With the right equipment, a startup can open up to new markets and expand way past the barriers of the local community. However, there is a catch – digitization is essential to broadening the horizons of your company. Why? It’s because it helps you serve the needs of a global economy.

Integrating new technologies and getting the most out of them is tricky, and it isn’t as simple as clicking your fingers. To do it, you need to understand the basics first, and this post has you covered. Here are four things to keep in mind before you digitize.

How Would You Start Now?

The main question to answer is how you would kick off your business in the 21st-century. With the tech available, it’s evident that you’d invest in the best systems and use Big Data to analyze trends and make informed decisions. Still, if you’ve already started and older systems are in place, it’s difficult to take the plunge. Your company’s phone system is a good example. The old one works and is effective enough, but it isn’t as efficient or cost-effective as the Cloud PBX version. The same goes for accounting software and bookkeeping practices. Although it’s a lot of effort, it’s worth the upheaval.

Don’t Write Off Tech

Technology has a massive part to play in your success. However, it’s not only the things you adopt that are important; it’s the stuff you dismiss. Think of how different the world would be if Apple weren’t allowed to design and target a niche within the electrical industry. By ignoring tech releases and how they can impact you or your competitors, you can miss out on opportunities. Even worse, you can leave the door open for others to absorb your market share.

Be Analytical

Understanding how digital tools are essential to your company is the key, and the best way to do it is to look to the competition for guidance. How are they using tech? What are they doing differently? Answering these questions will help you to understand your strengths and weaknesses and how you can improve. Mainly focus on the flaws because they are holding the company back and preventing it from growing. Of course, it’s vital to be able to read the stats and find the answers. They’re in the KPIs as long as you speak the language.

Integrate I.T

The internet is the single, biggest tool at your disposal, which is why it shouldn’t be segregated from the rest of the company. Using I.T as a problem-solving device when things go wrong is narrow-minded. Instead, integrate it throughout the whole of the business, from accounting to marketing and web hosting to get the greatest results. If everything is compartmentalized, the room for growth is bound to be less as there will be restrictions. And, they’re unnecessary.

If you are in doubt, there are professionals that will offer their services.

What’s Your Protocol On IT Errors That Stop Work?

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The one thing you cannot predict in business is an IT error. You can train your employees to be the best they can be, you can invest in your logistical structure, you can invest in your storage capabilities, you can do pretty much everything in the world; except know when your IT systems will go down. It’s just the bane of businesses all around the world because no matter how advanced technology gets, it’s still a man made invention. Things we make will always hiccup, breakdown and cause us a severe headache at work. However you need to have some kind of protocol in place for when this happens. There are three stages to this which you need to implement in your own business and train employees to follow.

Is it genuine?

Let’s be honest, even though you have hired some great professionals they won’t all be tech savvy. Many employees will just go by what you tell them and how you have trained them. They aren’t tech specialists and they don’t know every error code in the book. So they could have a problem which is easily fixable even though to them it might look serious to them. Hence why you need to give the responsibility of checking out minor errors to your managers. Managers aren’t just there to count the take of the day, they’re there to give advice, encouragement and also help out with problems that stop the flow of work. Train your managers on how to fix certain minor issues that your software runs into and make sure they are trained to a higher standard that normal employees.

React as a team

When an IT error occurs to one workstation, that employee is no longer able to work at their full capacity. However that could also mean his or her team are unable to continue with their work as they are relying on that individual to complete a task. For example, if an employee is not able to design the logo of a company in your marketing department, fellow employees won’t be able to work on the other aspects such as an advertisement, billboard, pamphlet and social media. So everyone needs to react as a team. The other employees need to talk and agree on the various stages of their own tasks they can complete without the logo or whatever is missing. To this extent, it keeps the ball rolling and allows everyone to carry on working throughout the day.

Specialist help desk

Every business needs to have some kind of specialist help on hand. For  your IT managed services, a company like IntelligIS offers 24/7 monitoring of your IT systems. So, they will know about the error maybe before you do. They can then work quickly to find the source, fix whatever is wrong, strengthen the firewalls and then give you a report of what just happened. This is your final step in the three stage protocol.

IT errors are the bane of the business world. For no apparent reason, entire systems can go down without warning. The key is to figure out if it’s a minor or major issue, then quickly react as a team to keep the workflow going and finally, call a specialist to identify and fix the error.

Why Co-Locate Your Data Center?

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Co-location data centers are becoming a popular choice for many. This type of data centre is one where the resources are shared. These resources encompass anything from bandwidth to rack space. In most instances, there will be a dedicated host who administers the data center. If you wish to use it then you will rent the rack space for a certain price. There are many benefits associated with co-locating your data center, this is especially the case for small to medium businesses whereby they have IT requirements yet they do not need a full data centre themselves. Let’s delve a little bit deeper into the compelling reasons why businesses should consider co-locating…

Reduced costs

The main reason why people opt for co-located data centers is that it is a lot cheaper. The data centre will already be up and running. You don’t need to worry about the design and build process, which in turn means you don’t need to concern yourself with any start-up fees. In addition to this, it is also worth bearing in mind the fact that you only pay for what you use. Because the bandwidth is shared the cost of this will be a lot lower than it would be if you had your own data centre. Managed service providers, like https://www.uswired.com/, also provide a viable solution for managing IT and reducing costs, so it is worth comparing both to see which is best for you.

Monitoring and maintenance

One of the great things about co-location data centers for businesses is the fact that your servers will be monitored on a full-time basis. The majority of co-located centers have professional IT experts on hand in order to check over the data centre and ensure everything is running smoothly. This means you need not concern yourself with maintenance because the professional in question will note if any problem has arisen and they will be likely to report this and deal with the issue. This again can be more cost-effective because it means you need not pay for someone to take this role.

Convenience

Having your data center housed at an outside location is highly beneficial, especially if you are going to embark on any structural changes or move premises in the future. You won’t have to spend money, resources, and time on moving all of your servers. Head to https://documentation.cpanel.net/display/CKB/How+to+Move+All+cPanel+Accounts+from+One+Server+to+Another for more details on this. All you need to concern yourself with is any reconnection and this is something that is very easy to sort out.

Greater productivity

You will reap the gains of greater productivity because your IT staff will be able to focus on your company’s tasks at hand rather than the maintenance of the data centre. If you had your own data centre then a lot of time would be spent on ensuring this was running optimally day to day. This may even result in you needing an extra employee. This ensures that you are reaching optimum levels of productivity because your company is focused on their profit orientated goals.

Failure protection

And last but not least it is also worth considering the fact that you will better equipped should the unfortunate instance happen whereby an outage occurs. When you pay your fee for co-location some of this will be used in order to ensure that there is a substantial back up plan in place, including generators and different supplies. Of course, if you had your own data centre this is something you could do as well. Nevertheless, because the costs are being shared you are likely to benefit from a much stronger, secure and more robust failure protection system.

New Trend: Citizen Developers

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One of the latest trends we are seeing in the technology industry is citizen developers. Citizen developers are users who create new business applications by others to use and benefit from, using corporate IT-sanctioned runtime environments and developments.

This emerging trend means that end users are able to develop a host of enterprise application by using model-driven platforms and cloud computing services, such as https://www.simplyclouds.com/. This is beneficial because users are able to avoid learning programming languages, using platforms that leverage away from code, making building and development of the possible for a larger number of people.

While these model-driven platforms are mostly visually based workflows, it is still necessary to have an understanding of the principles behind application design and development in order to be a successful citizen developer.

Why Citizen Developers Are The Next Big Thing

Citizen developers are enhancing the world of IT, and there are a few reasons why this trend seems to be so up and coming in technology news.

  •    No and Low Code Solutions are Easier and Cheaper to Maintain – it is no secret that custom developed applications can be quite costly, and ongoing support is often grossly underfunded, with the development team moving on to develop new applications, leaving the old ones to lack updates and support. Also, new applications are introduced to the market at a faster rate than older ones are retired, which can present a problem. The advantage of citizen-developed apps is that they are mostly low or zero code configuration, and are oftentimes deployed on SaaS or PaaS platforms. Because of this, these applications should require less maintenance and are easily enhanced if deemed business-critical.
  •    New Applications are Developed and Deployed More Quickly – Because citizen developers are using a more simplified approach to app development they are able to get more applications created in a smaller window of time, improving our business tools greatly, as the main focus of citizen developers is to create internal applications that allow people to work better, smarter, and faster. With up to 80% of code eliminated by using drag and drop development options the need for in-depth development skills is negated.
  •    A More Efficient Use Of Existing Resources – When internal IT staff adopt a citizen developer role they are able to use the organization’s existing resources to create very business-specific applications that improve operations. When processes are streamlined, it is easier to keep up on the workload, and IT staff can then focus their attention on more important tasks and bigger projects. Head to https://tallyfy.com/streamline-improve-business-process/ for more details. It is also considerably more cost-effective than paying an outside developer to develop your applications, putting less of a strain on financial resources.

In a nutshell, citizen developers appear to be such an emerging trend because of the need for business users to have a better, more efficient way to build applications. Advances in technology have provided this opportunity, and citizen developers are taking it and running with.

If You’re Not Outsourcing These Tasks, You’ve Got It All Wrong

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Unless you’re in a creative industry, the chances are that your job involves doing a series of individual tasks. You may be living under the illusion that you have to perform all of these tasks yourself, but the chances are that you’re wrong.

Today there are lots of tools that you can use to remove a lot of the donkey work from your daily grind, some of which will surprise you.

Taking Reservations

You might think that taking reservations is a classical secretarial task. And, you’d be right: secretaries have been doing this for years. But what if you don’t want an expensive secretary? Most people will just choose to do the task themselves, but it turns out that technology offers a solution. Scheduling apps, for instance, can be embedded on your website and then linked to your Google calendar so that both you and your clients can see exactly when you’re free. These apps usually don’t cost much each month –  far less than the cost of a secretary – and they negate the need to actively keep a diary. You merely check what appointments you have for the day, and your schedule is decided for you.

Answering The Phone

Science shows that working people are not good at dealing with distractions. Distractions take people out of their workflow, forcing their mind to switch to another task, reducing the quality of their work.

And what’s the biggest interrupter of all? Your telephone. The good news is that you can outsource picking up the phone to a third party operator. These “virtual secretaries” take calls as if they are you, but filter them out depending on whether they feel that they are essential or not. What’s great about these services is that you only pay for the secretarial services you use, rather than having to shell out a full-time wage.

IT Systems

If you’ve got a laptop and an internet connection, you’ve already got all the tools you need to conduct your work, no matter how sophisticated your IT needs. Managed IT services make it possible for people working from home to have complicated software stacks, provided through the cloud, without any need for at-home implementation. Not only does it reduce costs, but it also helps to simplify your workday: you’re never actively involved in the management of your systems.

Research

Research sounds like something that you’d have to do yourself. But it turns out that there are dozens of people out there, all offering research services online. Researchers can help you find out anything, and do it in far less time than it would take you as an amateur. You can find researchers for a fee on sites like Fiverr and Elance.

Making Freshly Cooked Food

Cooking is vital for your health and productivity. But it also takes up a lot of time – something that isn’t helpful when you’re trying to progress your career. Now though, busy people trying to boost their incomes can use meal-delivery services to provide freshly-made, “home-cooked” meals to their doors.

Your Business Needs To Understand Its Technology Better!

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There’s no denying that we live in a world almost entirely dominated by technology. The truth is that technology has changed almost every aspect of society. It’s changed the way we shop, the way we consume media and even the way that we communicate with one another. Of course, if there’s one part of society that technology has changed more than just about any other, it’s almost certainly the world of business. The truth is that the business world looks almost entirely different from the way that it did even a decade or so ago. If your business doesn’t embrace technology in a fundamental way then it’s almost certainly going to end up falling behind the competition and being left in the dust. However, that’s not the end of it. If you assume that just having technology as a part of your business is going to guarantee your success then you’re sorely mistaken. The truth is that you need to be able to understand your business’s technology and know how to use it as effectively as possible. Otherwise, it’s just going to end up being a drain on time, money, and resources. Luckily, there are ways to avoid letting that happen. With that in mind, here are some ways to better understand the technology in your business.

Employee training

If there’s one mistake that a lot of business owners make over and over when it comes to bringing in new technology, it’s that they forget that technology is merely a tool and that without human beings, it’s basically useless. If you’re going to make the most of the technology in your business then you need to make sure that all of your employees know how it works and how to make the most of it as well. This means you need to provide them with adequate amounts of training. Sure, that might take time and money but it’s nothing compared to the time and money you could end up wasting if things are going wrong because your employees have no idea how any of the technology in your business actually works.

Outside assistance

Of course, when it comes to dealing with the technology in your business, you’re not necessarily going to be the perfect person for that job. After all, as amazing a business owner as you might be, you’re not necessarily going to be a tech wizard. Because of that, you might want to consider outsourcing elements of the technology in your business to other companies. A company light Throttlenet IT Solutions can offer you the kind of help and support in terms of your IT infrastructure that can make your life a whole lot easier. The same goes for things like using the internet in your marketing. Working with a dedicated web marketing team is going to allow you to take advantage of an entirely different marketplace than your business may have previously explored.

Communication technology

It’s important to look past the obvious when it comes to technology in business. Take your attention away from complex programs and complicated machines. Focus on improving key areas using practical technology.

Now, more than ever, we’re appreciating the benefits of communication technology. Implementing a comprehensive communication system gives you a far better service than traditional methods and is generally more cost-effective. 

Your unrestricted communication channels allow you to easily set-up conferences with people around the world. It’s easy to install, configure, and maintain. What’s more, VoIP communication technology is very reliable. 

Modern integrated technologies are undoubtedly the way forward when it comes to communication in business.

There are several great options in terms of providers. Although there are major global companies involved in this industry, they are not necessarily the best choice for your business. If you’re hoping to stay away from the typical industry players, consider using alternatives to Google voice. These services can be just as effective and are often better value for the premium versions.

The needs of your business

There’s no denying that technology is pretty much essential for the health and well-being of any business. But that doesn’t mean that all businesses are going to have the same technological requirements. The truth is that every business is unique and that means that it’s going to have unique needs. Think carefully about what those needs are and how you’re going to be able to solve the problems in your business with technology. If your business is based on the web then you’re not going to need huge amounts of manufacturing tech, but if you’re running a warehouse then you’re probably not going to need lots of complex coding software on your computers. Think about the needs of your business and do whatever you can to lean into them whenever possible. Otherwise, you’re going to end up wasting money and resources on tech that you simply don’t need and that will only lead your business to feel bloated.

The changing times

One of the hardest things about trying to keep your business competitive in the modern world is the fact that the world is constantly moving at an incredibly fast pace. In fact, every year things seem to be moving faster and faster because they are. New developments in the world of tech are appearing all the time and if you’re not able to keep up then the only possible result is that you get left behind. Because of that, you need to make sure that you’re keeping up with as many new developments in the world of business tech as possible to keep your business on the cutting edge. Make sure that you subscribe to tech magazines and that you browse tech blogs as frequently as possible. The last thing you want is to find out about a perfect technological advancement that can help your business by seeing your competition using it in order to pull ahead of you.

Your demographics

Of course, no matter how important technology is to the world around us, that doesn’t mean that it’s going to be just as important to everyone. The truth is that different groups of people respond to technology in different ways. The Millennial generation treats technology as an indispensable part of their everyday life. They are glued to their phones and do pretty much everything through technology. Because of that, you’re going to want everything from your marketing strategies to your customer service to be heavily text focused. Things like social media and online help desks are going to resonate incredibly strongly with this demographic. However, older generations who are somewhat suspicious of technology are going to prefer a more old-school approach. Things like traditional marketing techniques and telephone customer service lines are going to be vastly preferred by an older demographic.

The size of your business

Another thing that you need to take into account when it comes to bringing technology into your business is the size and scope of your business as a whole. After all, if you’re bringing in software and technology that’s designed to help a small startup when you’re several levels ahead of that stage, then it’s not really going to do you that much good. By the same token, a small, new business is not going to benefit from much of the technology designed to improve the workflow of huge companies. Make sure that you keep your business’s size in mind when considering what its technical needs are.

Your budget

You also need to carefully consider the kind of budget that you’re working with. You might have some technology in mind that you consider to be totally essential for your business, but if you can’t afford it, then it’s best to put it out of your mind until you can. If you try and bring technology into your business with the hope that the improvements it makes to your business will result in enough revenue to pay for it, you’re putting yourself in a seriously dangerous position. If it doesn’t end up paying for itself, you could end up putting your business in serious debt, which is the kind of thing that can snowball incredibly quickly.

Now, you might be of the opinion that your business doesn’t need technology. This is particularly common in older businesses. And that makes sense to a certain degree. After all, if your business has survived for this long without the need for technology, why would it need to change now? However, it’s important to really understand just how different the world is to the world of a few short years ago. You don’t need to totally change your business to fit the modern, tech-dominated world. Instead, think about how technology and modern advances can help you improve upon the foundation that you have already laid in your business up until now.

Improve Oversight and Transparency for Your Business

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Being able to oversee what goes on in your company is essential if you want to be an effective business person. It’s important that you know what’s going on at all times, and that you aren’t kept in the dark. You don’t want to have sections of your business where you’re not sure what’s been going on lately. You should be on top of all the numbers, the productivity levels and other information that it’s crucial for you to know. Of course, there are some insignificant things that are unlikely to matter to the big boss. However, overall, greater transparency and better oversight are better for your business.

Get Better Understanding of Important Regulations

If you want to improve the way that you oversee your business, you should make sure that you understand any important regulations. Having to comply with regulations can be annoying for a business owner, but most can still recognize that it often benefits them. For example, regulations related to safety will protect their employees and by extension protect them from any legal trouble. By making sure that you understand any regulations you have to follow, you can be sure that you’re implementing them correctly and monitoring everything well too.

Use the Right Software

There’s almost no situation where finding the right software won’t help you improve your business. If you want to increase oversight and transparency for your company, there are plenty of tools that could help you out. You can find software that helps you manage your finances better or monitor risk management. You can improve IT too, with software designed to help you easily monitor your entire network. You can automatically map out your network and keep an eye on what’s up and what’s down, enabling your IT staff to fix problems faster. Before implementing new software, make sure you look at the pros and cons of introducing a new tool.

Institute Regular Checks and Reviews

Putting rules and regulations in place is essential for your business, but it’s pointless if you don’t check that they’re being followed. Even when everyone is trying their best to get their job done correctly, there can still be mistakes. That’s why it’s important to carry out regular checks and reviews of things like your finances. Mistakes can occur at any time, and people are better at spotting other people’s mistakes than they are at noticing their own. Make sure that you regularly review different departments to check results and monitor improvements.

Encourage Openness

Encouraging people at your company to be open with sharing their thoughts and opinions can make everything more transparent and give you better oversight. Your employees should feel like they’re able to raise an issue that they’re concerned about or offer an idea on how they think things should be done better. You might even extend this to your customers, building a community that helps to give you a better idea of how your business is viewed by the public.

Increase oversight and transparency in your business by being as involved as possible. Encourage others to do their part too.

Are You Getting In The Way Of Your Own Business Growth?

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There’s a solid argument for keeping your small business small. It makes the day to day operation of your enterprise more manageable, it affords you greater oversight over quality control, it invariably allows you to provide a more intimate level of customer service and enables you to spend more time doing what you love and what you’re great at. In today’s fast paced and ever changing business landscape, however, the ambitious entrepreneur may well have growth on their mind. After all, a small business means small profits, small profits mean small wages and small wages mean stunted entrepreneurial progression. But if you have your sights set on growth there may be one significant obstacle getting in the way of it…

You!

As passionate as you may be, as much as you may care deeply about your every employee and every customer, and as dedicated, determined and resourceful as you are, it’s entirely possible for a well meaning entrepreneur to impede their own business’ growth. As yourself some of these searching questions to see if you’re really the one getting in the way of your business’ growth…

Are you trying to run before you can walk?

Does your reach exceed your grasp? Are you trying to grow your business without the proper infrastructure? Are you investing a surge of effort, time and capital into marketing to draw in new customers when you can barely keep up with the ones that you have? If you don’t keep a close eye on your resource allocation and cash flow management your business may end up tripping over its own feet. In order to facilitate sustainable growth you have to be able to walk before you can run.

Is it your way or the highway?

Your passion, determination, single mindedness and drive are all part of what makes you a great entrepreneur… But even you have your limits. While your business is, and should be, an extension of you, built around the values and ideals that matter to you, when it’s either your way or the highway, you run the risk of stagnation. You recruited your employees for their skills, intelligence and savvy and in some cases they may be better placed than you to identify areas for change and improvement within your enterprise. If you don’t give them an open forum in which to air their ideas, they will feel less empowered and your business may suffer.

Do you eschew outsourced assistance?

When you have established a way of operating that works for you, it can lead you to become resistant to outside perspectives, but this may also be detrimental to your business. Moreover, it can cause you to divert a great deal of capital, time effort and resources into functions that may be better fulfilled elsewhere. Historically, outsourcing to providers of Managed IT Services, HR service providers and marketing agencies has been beneficial to small businesses. It has allowed them to find custom solutions that are entirely scalable to their growth ensuring that there is no waste in capital or resources. 

Finally… Do you get skittish when it comes to capital investments?

It’s only natural for entrepreneurs to keep a close eye on their bottom line and when they have expansion in mind, it’s understandable that they might be wary of margin erosion. However, this cannot make them resistant to capital investments like new equipment, software and even premises. It may take a while for them to start paying for themselves but if you give them time they will prove a vital part of your operation’s growth.