You started out with a great idea and a passion for what you’re doing. You succeeded, and your business has grown beyond your expectations. There’s just one issue you need to confront. You may have to change the way you get things done. What worked when you had a little startup won’t necessarily work now that you’re employing dozens – or even hundreds – of staff. What areas might you need to change?
1. Your IT Infrastructure
If you’re still working on local networks with stand-alone computers, you might want to buy a windows server and get everything back in one place. Choosing the right one is important, so be sure to consult an expert before making your final choice. Your server will manage user permissions, software, and will improve the security of your data.
While many companies prefer to go to the cloud, others insist on in-house servers. Each has pros and cons and the correct choice depends on the nature of your business.
2. Doing Everything In-House
When you started your business, you probably did almost everything in-house. You were financial manager, HR manager, customer service manager, marketing manager, and more. Switching between roles was relatively easy to do, but now, you’re so busy with the day-to-day running of your business that it’s becoming impossible to wear so many different hats. While you may not be able to afford a manager for every function, that may not be the best solution for you. Outsourcing is often more economical and more efficient, and most big companies outsource several functions for that reason.
3. Micromanaging
Micromanaging isn’t always a bad thing. Knowing what it takes to get a job done, being able to spot impending issues, and working closely (but pleasantly) with your staff are all fine when you only have a small team to run. You know your business inside out, and that keeps you on top of things.
But as your business grows, you simply can’t be involved in every detail and every process. It’s time to delegate from a position of knowledge. You know what it takes to get a job done, and you’ve probably identified some staff members who are perfectly capable of managing routines, and reporting anomalies as needed. Use them to make your business more efficient, and your life a whole lot easier! Manage by exception.
4. Coordinating Workflows in Person
Coordinating workflows is repetitive work, and that opens it up to automation. Instead of you and your senior staff allocating work, following it up, and ensuring that processes move smoothly between departments, software can do the job for you. You’re still in control. Your management dashboard will indicate any hangups, and when processes run smoothly, you don’t have to intervene at all.
5. Your Business Strategy
At the outset, you knew what your business’s strategy should be, and you were able to exceed your expectations for business growth. But does the same strategy still hold true for your business? Chances are, it doesn’t.
The business environment changes, your business has definitely changed, and your goals might be considerably more ambitious than they were when you first started out. Have you captured those goals and planned a roadmap that will lead your business in the right direction? Even if you think you have, revisiting your strategy may uncover a need for adaptations and changes you should make to keep your business moving in the right direction.
Making these 5 changes is a good start, and you should find that it makes the task of running your business much easier while your all-important focus on the big picture improves. If these points resonated with you, it’s time to get moving and ring those changes!
