Running a business involves a lot of moving pieces. From high-level areas (like branding and strategic direction) to menial tasks (like responding to emails and posting to social media), a great business is multi-faceted But, that often leaves you with more work than you can handle.

But, the secret behind entrepreneurship is that you don’t have to do all those things! Yes, they have to get done — but your time doesn’t necessarily need to be spent on many of your routine processes.

As the big, bad CEO of your business, you should be dedicating your energy to strategic decisions that propel your company forward. But if your plate is filled with basic day-to-day operational tasks that are no doubt necessary, you’re going to struggle to move the needle and scale your business the way you want.

There are a finite number of hours in a day; if they’re filled up with low-level processes, you’ll never find the time to create a plan for growth and put it into action.

Fortunately, there are two key methods of reducing your load and delegating that work elsewhere:  Automation and Outsourcing. Each of these techniques offers unique value, so let’s explore the pros and cons of each.

Automation

Automation is all about letting the computers do the work! We live in an age where technology can perform just about any routine task. You can’t ask it to set goals for your business, but you can certainly program it to track your expenses, send contracts, accept payments, and so on. If there is administrative work that you’ve been doing manually, there’s a good chance there is an automated solution to fill your needs.

There are a number of areas in which you can harness the power of automation. For example, you could set up an auto-responder for your inquiry form to streamline your sales funnel. In addition, you may have a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform that can generate and send a new contract with the click of a button.

Or perhaps you’d like to use a tool like Zapier to connect all of your programs — like generating a new lead entry in AirTable every time your inquiry form gets completed. Again, the possibilities with automation are only growing, so there’s a good chance that you can find a solution to anything you need.

Spend some time laying out all of the tasks that fill up your schedule. How does a day in the office look for you? When it’s all out on paper, you’ll start to see a natural divide between the tasks that need your active attention and those that do not.

Outsourcing

If you’re in the position to hire an employee or contractor, outsourcing is the way to go. While it may not “automate” every little task, it effectively removes them from your plate to free up time in your schedule.

Outsourcing is great for those tasks that need a bit of human touch — writing blogs and social media content, filing taxes and other vital paperwork, managing the client experience, and so on. That’s why people tend to hire writers, accountants, attorneys, and other professionals whose specialties don’t quite translate to a fully automated system.

There are a few ways to outsource your work; the direction you choose will significantly depend on your current situation and the resources you have to allocate outwards. There are three main channels of seeking support:

Staff: This is the tried-and-true method of hiring people to work for you in-house. These are your part-time and full-time employees that are on your payroll. As a result, you get complete control over their work in your business, you set their hours, and you have more oversight on their processes.

However, this comes with a financial commitment. In addition to paying wages or salary, you may need to pay for full-time benefits as well (if that’s where you’re heading). If you plan to hire employees, you must prepare for the sizable overhead that comes with that kind of move.

Contractors: Contracting 1099 workers has become a popular way to fill in gaps within one’s business without the overhead of hiring a team. Since you don’t have to commit to an employment period or worry about benefits, you really only pay for what you get. You get control over what you request in terms of scope, but be mindful that you do not have any say over a contractor’s hours or processes.

Contractors are freelancers and business owners of their own regard. So, while hiring employees makes you their boss, working with a contractor is more collaborative. You lay out everything you need in terms of deliverables and expectations, and they’re responsible for getting it to you on time. You can negotiate on pay, timeline, and other details of the process, but you do not get full ownership of the agreement.

Interns: Establishing an internship program can be a great way to get some work done while also investing in the future workforce. Serving as a mentor to interns is fulfilling for many. However, the quality of work will likely be lower than that of an employee or professional contractor. Soften your expectations and be careful about what you delegate to an intern.

With that said, an internship program can be a powerful way to give back to your community and get your feet wet in the hiring arena. In addition, it’s a lower financial commitment, as they are often working for academic credit and perhaps a small stipend. However, be sure to research local and state laws to ensure you adhere to compensation laws.

Be mindful that neither automation nor outsourcing is entirely hands-free.

If you use automation, you will need to dedicate time to set it up correctly and keep tabs on how it’s operating. Technology isn’t perfect, and sometimes a hiccup in the system can disrupt your processes. Therefore, you must maintain your automation tools to ensure they are working as expected.

On the other hand, delegation involves oversight of people, which can run the gamut of experiences. For example, some folks are very self-driven, whereas others need a little hand-holding.

Whether you choose W-2 employees or 1099 contractors, expect to spend some time managing their workload and handling human resources matters, like time-tracking and payroll. However, keep in mind that the time you spend managing your team should not be greater than the time it takes to actually do those tasks. If it does, hire someone more efficient or consider automation as an alternative solution.

In this day and age, there is no reason to be bogged down in administrative tasks. You have all the power in your business to find new solutions to streamline your operations and reclaim control of your processes. Efficiency and productivity go hand in hand; ironically, you will find that you will be able to make a greater impact on your business and do more once you have less on your plate. Funny how that works, huh?

Need help sorting out what to delegate and where? Jen has a wealth of experience in both areas and is ready to help you figure out the right formula for a productive and efficient business structure — get in touch with her to get started!

Jennifer Taylor is the principal of Jen Taylor Consulting, a consulting firm that works with creative businesses of all sizes to implement streamlined workflows and organized systems to find more time and space for business growth and personal development.

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Jen Taylor

If you looked at a business’s structure under a microscope, you would see that it’s made up of a number of processes and procedures that keep it afloat. Just as a cell’s organelles keep it alive, the inner workings of a business are what allow it to be productive and profitable (or hinder it from being so).

Although processes and procedures form naturally, they need mindful attention to be at their best. When you first started your business, you probably had some rudimentary processes that kept you organized. A spreadsheet here and an app there were probably all you needed.

But, as your business grew and you took on more clients, you likely had to upgrade those workflows to accommodate your workload better. For example, a simple spreadsheet may need a more robust solution to streamline your business, or maybe you paid to upgrade an app to a better plan. Business growth seems like an external endeavor, but it’s just as much an internal shift. Your operations must be able to evolve with you.

If you don’t give your processes and procedures the time of day, you’ll find yourself elbow-deep in laborious and wasteful tasks that do more harm than good for your business. Spending time evaluating and adjusting your internal operations is the key to forming a business that runs like a well-oiled machine.

Here are the critical steps to getting your processes and procedures in gear for a smooth and streamlined brand experience from the inside out.

Perform a full audit.

You can’t know what to fix if you don’t know what’s broken (or on its way to breaking). Before taking any steps, sit down and draw out all of your business processes. Here are a few examples that you may have in your company:

● How you respond to new inquiries
● Your sales funnel, from consultation to contract
● How you onboard and offboard clients
● Your marketing workflow
● The way you track expenses and revenue
● How you invoice clients

For each process, write down every step and look for inefficiencies along the way. Are there unnecessary steps? Touchpoints that can be automated? Try to reduce the manual work you must invest in these processes.

Alternatively, is there anything missing in your processes that can make your life easier? For example, you may find that creating an onboarding packet for new clients sets expectations early in the process, so you don’t have to answer as many questions down the line. Building efficient procedures is about looking at the big picture, so keep your sights focused on saving time and enhancing the client experience.

Adopt new systems.

Once you know the processes that need to be optimized, you can start experimenting with systems to address your inefficiencies. In some cases, it may just be a matter of doing things in a different order or skipping over unnecessary steps.

However, for more significant adjustments, I recommend looking to technology to bridge the gaps in your processes. Whether you’re looking to automate your procedures (like sending invoices and collecting payments) or you simply want a better platform to organize manual tasks (like a social media scheduler), digital tools free up your schedule and create consistency in your workflows.

As you explore options, be mindful that it takes time to get used to a new system! It might not feel comfortable after the first day or even the first week. Give it a month and see how it fits into your business; if you’re still not a fan, try out some of the choices on your backup list. Only you know what suits your work style best!

Outsource as needed.

You might need human oversight for some of your processes, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be you. Outsourcing your recurring tasks requires an investment in personnel, but it allows you to delegate without losing a personal touch.

For example, you might find that contracting a virtual assistant helps you create consistency in your inquiry process without sacrificing authenticity. New leads will get responses from an actual, live human — but you don’t have to send emails manually!

If you want to outsource, you’ll have to consider whether you want to hire in-house employees, work with a contractor, or create an internship program. This article lays out the pros and cons of each so you can make a wise, strategic decision.

Set client expectations.

If you’re changing your processes, you will need to be mindful about how that shift will impact your clients. Of course, some adjustments won’t affect them — like if you start outsourcing social media and implement a new system for tracking your budget.

However, if you’re altering your onboarding process or any other client-facing procedures, you will need to walk them through the transition. Then, explain how things will change on their end, setting new expectations for their involvement.

Since your new business processes are intended to simplify and streamline, it should be a welcome change for clients! Show them the benefits of your new way of doing things and let them ask questions to ensure they’re on the same page.

It all boils down to one big truth: If your processes and procedures are broken, your business will break down eventually. Think of it like a car: One broken gasket can cause a mess of trouble, so it’s always best to catch it before it ultimately falls apart. Likewise, regular maintenance of your internal operations will help you detect potential problems before they blow up into catastrophes.

Not sure where to start in optimizing your processes and procedures? Give Jen a call to see how she can help you start putting your business in order with strategies that increase efficiency and boost the client experience.

Jennifer Taylor is the principal of Jen Taylor Consulting, a consulting firm that works with creative businesses of all sizes to implement streamlined workflows and organized systems to find more time and space for business growth and personal development.

about

Jen Taylor

In business, workflows are what makes the world go ‘round! They bring your systems to life by turning them into repeatable processes that streamline your workload. You do not have to spin your wheels every time you do something because you can rely on an established workflow that has resulted in success over and over.

The reality is that you probably already have some workflows in your business. However, it’s likely that they are not operating at 100% efficiency. Or, if they are, there is a good chance that you have some gaps elsewhere in your business.

Don’t worry — this is normal for businesses that are growing! As you scale, your needs evolve and your systems and workflows must adapt to the changes. What worked when you had five clients is probably not the best method when you have 50 clients. Change comes with growth, so the best business owners are those that are agile and adaptable to their clients’ needs, as well as their own.

If you are looking for more clarity in your day-to-day, it’s time to adjust, refine, and refresh your workflows, so they work seamlessly in your business. The better your workflows, the better your life flows — am I right?

To start, I want you to consider the eight  in your business:

1. Financials
2. Operations
3. Customer Experience
4. Human Resources and Team Management
5. Marketing and Visibility
6. Product
7. Systems
8. Development

Each of these “departments” involves unique processes and, thus, should employ its own workflows. In Financials, you might have a process for saving your receipts and adding them to a spreadsheet on the last day of every month. For Customer Experience, you may follow a specific sequence of steps from onboarding to execution.

Simply put, a workflow is how you do a particular task in your business from start to finish. Without it, your business will lack consistency, and that disparity will spill over into all other aspects. If your operations are disorganized, it will impact everything from your marketing strategies to your customer experience.

While these eight areas are distinct from one another, they are all interconnected. After all, a business is the sum of many moving pieces. All it takes is one breaking for the whole machine to come to a halt. Your workflows help to keep all of the gears well-oiled and operational.

For each of these areas, consider the repeated processes you perform and break them down into the following categories.

DAILY

These are the small but necessary tasks that fill up your day: responding to emails, calendar management, marketing, and other responsibilities that keep your business running. While they are significant, they typically do not drive your creative process or client work.

WEEKLY

Your weekly workflows are the tasks that are less urgent but still vital parts of your day-to-day business. Perhaps you write one blog post, organize one team meeting, or make five sales calls each week. Get clear on what needs to be done regularly but does not need to be on your plate every day.

QUARTERLY

When you get to quarterly tasks, you start to see more of the higher-level strategic work. This is your chance to map out the next three months and the actions that will propel your business forward. Developing content calendars, sending client gifts, reviewing website analytics, and revisiting your goals are all great examples of quarterly workflows.

YEARLY

Annual workflows are those that formulate a direction for you to take your business in the next year. This is when you should review your standard operating procedures (SOPs), update your website, refresh your mission, vision, and values, and set new goals to reach for more success.

At this point, you should have a list of daily, monthly, quarterly, and yearly workflows that keep your business afloat. With everything laid out in front of you, dig into each to see where you can adjust and optimize them. Perhaps your quarterly content calendars would be better suited in a monthly capacity, or maybe you can batch a quarter’s worth of blog posts so you do not have to write a new one each week.

The best way to do this is simply to start documenting what you are doing and how you are doing it. Look for the gaps that take up valuable time, energy, and resources. When you identify areas that could be further streamlined,   that turns your workflows into a seamless part of your business.

Then, take all of these tasks—big and small—and add them to your calendar, to-do list, and/or project management software. One of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when developing workflows is forgetting about them when life gets too busy. Hold yourself accountable with scheduled reminders to stay on track, knowing that checking those boxes will help build a successful and sustainable business for years to come.

Ready to iron out your workflow once and for all? Get in touch with Jen for help optimizing your systems and workflows to find clarity and focus in your business again.

about

Jen Taylor

As a business owner, you wear a lot of hats in your business. You aren’t just the CEO, but rather  . You make strategic decisions about branding, messaging, budgeting, team building, and more. But, even if you’re a solopreneur, the reality is that you don’t have to do it alone.

By developing systems in your business, you can effectively streamline every process that takes up valuable space and time. From how you onboard and offboard a client to how you ship a product, systems take the guesswork out of your work and, in some cases, even do the job for you. Ultimately, systems will help structure your business so you can do more with less brain power. Sounds enticing, right?

Now, I’m willing to bet you already have certain systems in your business. Whether they’re optimized to simplify your life is another story, but you likely have specific processes that run like clockwork. Consider how you:

• Respond to inquiries
• Create and send proposals and contracts
• Accept payments
• Organize client information
• Develop content for social media

There’s a good chance you have some systems in there. You aren’t recreating the wheel every time you take a payment or welcome a new client into your brand experience. Systems tend to develop naturally over the course of a business, but that doesn’t always mean that they are as efficient as they could be.

In other areas, you really might be scraping together the pieces every time. How does that help you in your business? Furthermore, how does that help your client?

Creating new systems and revamping existing ones follow a similar four-step process: Audit, Research, Implement, and Evaluate. Let’s break each of these steps down so you can start getting your systems in order today.

AUDIT

You know what they say: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This rings true when it comes to your business operations, but that leads to the big question: How do I know if it’s broken? Before overhauling your business, take some intentional time to look at your current systems and processes under a microscope to identify where it flows and where it’s blocked.

Start with your administrative responsibilities since that tends to be the area that bogs down creativity the most. There’s nothing like an hour’s worth of emails or a spreadsheet of numbers to suppress your genius. What are the repetitive tasks that must be completed but make your eyes roll into the back of your head? Where are you spending more time than necessary? Here are some suggestions:

• Responding to emails
• Creating and sending proposals, contracts, and invoices
• Scheduling meetings and appointments
• Organizing your filing system
• Collecting receipts and tracking expenses
• Managing regular client communications

Now,  move onto the more focused tasks that are specific to your clients. Consider these questions, adjusting them as needed for your business model:

• What does client onboarding and offboarding look like?
• How do you ensure a consistent client experience?
• What are your shipping procedures?
• How do you request and gather feedback?

Then, set your signs on your creative process:

• What are the steps you must take to bring a project to fruition?
• Do you have a structured workflow to ensure you meet deadlines?
• Are you blocking time to work through your projects?
• Is anything preventing your productivity?

By the end of this brainstorming exercise, you should have a clear idea of the systems that are operating smoothly, those that need some love, and the areas that never had a system in the first place. That leads us to the next step: research.

RESEARCH

You know what you need to fix, so now you need to figure out how to solve it. In many cases, you can find online, cloud-based software that can bridge the gaps in your business.

In today’s market, you have many options to sift through to find the right fit. Be mindful of the must-haves for your ideal system and keep looking until you find the perfect solution for your needs. It could be a robust customer relationship management platform (CRM), or it may be as simple as an appointment scheduler that syncs with your calendar. You know how you operate best, so find a solution that matches your work style.

For other tasks, you may not need any fancy software at all but rather a shift in procedures and mindset. Perhaps you start blocking out time on your calendar or adopting the   technique for time management, which limits distractions by breaking your projects down into manageable 25-minute blocks. Maybe you create an out-of-office responder to enhance your client touchpoints. Sometimes, the smallest adjustments to your systems can make the most significant impacts!

If you’re ready for new software, take advantage of the free trial period to ensure it’s a solution that will meet your needs. If it’s more of a shift in standard operating procedures (SOPs), commit to it for three weeks to see if it provides the results you expected. Then, it’s all about implementation.

IMPLEMENT

The implementation stage can be the most exciting experience…or the most frustrating. It can take some time to see real change in your business and, on top of that, you’re learning an all-new process. You have to change your habits, which is never easy!

I encourage you to stick with it for at least three weeks to a month. If you reach the end of that period and you’re not happy with the change, revisit the research stage and see if you had noted potential alternatives that would better suit your needs.

Implementing a new system is challenging on your own, but it can become even more difficult if you have to onboard clients or team members as well. Plan for a soft rollout, letting them know about the transition in advance to set clear expectations. When it comes time to introduce your new system, explain it in detail, open yourself up to answer questions, and assist in getting everyone up to speed.

As time goes on and your new system is adopted as an  , you should start to see the results over time. It may even inspire you to adjust some of the other processes in your business to boost productivity. But, first, you must evaluate your new system’s efficacy.

EVALUATE

Evaluation should be a part of every system and process in your business, not just the new ones. It helps you be proactive and stay on top of your operations, ensuring that nothing falls into disrepair. Consider your business like a vehicle: You wouldn’t leave it to collect dust in a garage, would you? No, it needs regular maintenance and, in some cases, a little extra fine-tuning to run smoothly.

Of course, if you get a new feature installed in your car, you’ll be keeping an extra close eye on how it performs. Were those new speakers really worth the cost? Is that upgraded engine everything it promised? The same goes for your new systems.

In business, accept that you are always learning. Even after your three-week period is over and you think it’s a fit, pay close attention to your return on investment. Are you really saving all of the time you expected? How have you felt since optimizing XYZ process? Keep this speculative mindset up for six months to a year before filing your new system away as one of the good ones. (Even then, be open to new possibilities!)

The most successful businesses run on a collection of practical, streamlined systems that keep the gears turning, even if you’re out of the office or neck deep in a client project. It’s never too late to kickstart your systems, so go ahead and make an appointment with yourself to put that audit on your calendar!

Looking for more guidance in creating systems that work for you? Connect with Jen to take the next steps to a more streamlined, productive future for your business.

about

Jen Taylor

With a bright summer upon us, many of us are thinking about sun-soaked vacations and finally taking some personal time to unwind. The last year has been a tough one, but there is a lot of hope for the future. And, let’s face it — you deserve a break!

While it’s vital to take time off for yourself to preserve your sanity and practice self-care, it does little good if you’re jetting off somewhere fun only to be glued to your laptop and taking client calls at all times. If you’re taking time off, it should be spent resting and recharging so you can return to the office fully refreshed and ready to get work done.

Of course, you can’t just go offline without preparing your clients and colleagues. As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to keep your operations going – even if you’re stepping away for a few days. Transparency is the name of the game, so don’t be shy about establishing boundaries and setting realistic expectations for employees, creative partners, clients, and other industry peers who rely on you.

Get crystal clear from the start.

When setting expectations, you need to draw clear and defined lines from the get-go; otherwise, your boundaries will be blurry and other people won’t know when they’re pushing it. A great way to set these terms early is to define them in your contract. Every client that books must review and sign your contract, effectively agreeing to everything inside. From day one, they’ll know what to expect from a working relationship — whether that means you have set office hours, specific days off each week, or a rule that requires appointments be made at least 48 hours in advance.

I recommend laying out your rules and policies in one of the first pages of your contract. The average person has a rather short attention span, so they have a tendency to read a few pages of a document and glance through the rest. Don’t let your boundaries be skimmed! To go the extra mile, consider having an extra signature line on your policies and procedures page to ensure that every client understands the terms they are agreeing to.

Appeal to others’ empathy.

As business owners, we sometimes feel obliged to be the face of our brand all day every day. But, don’t forget that you’re a human, too! You have all the same needs as your clients and colleagues, whether you own a business or not. When you approach people through a personal connection, you can establish empathy and help them to understand why you need to be out-of-pocket. If you’re planning a special trip for your kiddos, be honest about it!

As long as you’re providing good service and practicing strong communication skills the rest of the time, your clients and colleagues will be understanding—if not encouraging!—about giving you the space you need during the summer.

Ask questions to confirm it’s understood.

New clients have a tendency to nod and sign, but don’t always fully grasp the full terms of agreement. It’s understandable when you consider how much information they are processing, particularly if they are in the process of booking several professionals at once. However, that’s no excuse for pushing your limits and breaking the rules you’ve drawn out in your contract and/or discussed in meetings.

Be intentional about confirming that your policies are fully understood. A simple question asking them to verify agreement goes a long way in protecting your boundaries.

Here are a few examples to adapt with your own rules:

• “Do you understand that I do not accept phone calls after 5 p.m.?”
• “Will you be OK if I do not respond to emails on Saturdays?”
• “Do you accept that our meetings will be virtual rather than in-person?”

All they have to do is say “yes,” but saying that simple response out loud will help them commit those rules to memory.

Commit to your own boundaries.

People will not respect your boundaries if you don’t adhere to them yourself. If you say you’re going to be offline for a long weekend, do not wake up and start responding to emails. When you ignore your own policies, you’re telling other people that the rules don’t mean much and inviting them to step over the line.

Give credence to the rules that you’ve established, and make it clear that you mean business. It’s your responsibility to set the standard and let your clients and colleagues follow in suit. After all, you created them for a reason—likely to give yourself some space to recharge—and you can only achieve that if you follow through. (Don’t worry, your inbox will be there upon your return!)

With a brighter future in 2021 and beyond, you may find your business growing to new heights. As busy as you may get, though, it’s even more important to be mindful of your mental health and personal wellbeing. Ultimately, a positive state of mind will help you to be more productive and harness your creativity. In order to achieve that, you will need to set clear boundaries that allow you the space and freedom to take a timeout and return to the office restored.

Need someone to talk through your client experience and how to establish boundaries? Jen’s an expert — reach out to get the support you need to grow your business.

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Jen Taylor