“Diana, I am so stressed out and tired by my business, I just want to close it down and get a job.”
This was the comment made by a successful business owner on a recent coaching call. Her business makes good money, shows a respectable profit, pays 10+ employees good wages and would be considered a success by anyone.
My heart broke for this business owner. I wanted to reach through the phone and give her a hug. But I knew that to help her, I needed to remain objective and get to the root cause.
“Tell me what’s going on.”
She went on to tell me that she is spending too many hours at the office. She is frustrated because her employees can’t seem to think on their own and keep running to her for help. Sales are starting to lag and she is not sure why. Employee morale is an issue with a few employees and she wonders if that will affect the others.
I asked her about her work-life balance. It too was out of balance. Way out of balance.
She really needed a break and a plan.
The business feels like a ball and chain, a weight carried on her shoulders, day after day, night after sleepless night.
Many business owners are so busy working IN the business instead of working ON the business. And the business stops growing. A business that relies on the owner doing a large share of the “thinking and decisioning” is very vulnerable. What happens if the owner is injured, unable to work or needs to care for an ill family member?
Then there is the ever-present worry about making payroll. People rely on you to put food on their table. It’s a huge responsibility.
So many entrepreneurs are stretching themselves so thin, chasing their tails to make ends meet—both financially and operationally.
They are driven to provide for their clients, customers and team members, often putting themselves last...
...the last to get paid
...the last to take time off
Your business could actually be a well-oiled machine that runs WITHOUT YOU.
And pays you a consistent salary.
But first, you may need to take a break and create a plan.
The client and I did just that. Together. We sat down and analyzed two VERY important pieces of her business and life. First we looked at her personal schedule and redesigned it. We blocked her week and her days and protected personal time for sleep, family and exercise. We discussed a few small tweaks to the start of her day so she could take some precious, sacred time for herself.
We then looked at the “bread and butter” process in her business (ORDER to CASH) and re-designed it to run WITHOUT her.
Lastly, I challenged her to pick a day in the following year where she will take a 1-month vacation, because we all need a deadline to work towards. Her eyes grew large with disbelief at first. I assured her we would work towards it – not just foolishly plunge head-first towards an un-planned vacation.
She agreed to pick a date.
Now she has a plan. And a new personal schedule. And she is working every week towards making her business run without her. Slowly but surely, she is changing the way the business and it’s people operate. Rome didn’t get built in a day, so she knows this is a journey. But she is on her way.
It started when she read a message like this one from me. She clicked on the same link I am providing below and booked a one-hour free strategy session. When we connected on the call, she told me the truth about how she was feeling. Even though I am a Profit Coach, we didn’t start by talking about profit. She faced herself and her business honestly.
If you want the same support and your own plan towards a business that is profitable and that can run without you, click on the link below. Schedule your free one-hour strategy session. I promise I won’t spend any time on that call “selling” you. I will do my best to give you solid take-aways. You decide if you want a coach.
Here’s to a month off!