What I didn’t know was that being an Entrepreneur and small business owner can be tough work! But I was going to find out about that very quickly! So here is the quick version…. Started with a bit of money, got investors, had a vision, had a solid system, build the company with mediocre employees, then learned how to have great employees and really build a team environment. We were the first in the areas we chose and filled a need, took action and advertised like crazy and tried new things. We showed the customer we cared, valued our staff and investors, and had TONS of ups and downs until we got it right! It took many years to build it up to what it was and the biggest hurdle and success was finally selling it and letting it all go.

Now this business after year 2 was making great money, and investors were happy, however there were times when things were tight and economics, unforeseen construction, renovations, staff turnover really caused downturns in the business. Trust me there were many struggles as well as many great opportunities for money to be made. The main problem for my partner and I was that it was something we no longer wanted. We realized that it was not our passion and that the industry had a stigma that would take many more years to change. The industry was being regulated and we were what seemed to always be proving that we were indeed a legitimate company helping people and really valued our integrity and ethics in the business. Our vision was to help people and make money however this was not the business that would complete that for us. So regardless of the financial gain we decided to sell and move on to do it again in what was our individual passions.

So what are the lessons learned that you as a small business owner can take away from all of this? Let’s look at it in a list form for easier learning;

1.       I was a small business owner with BIG Thinking!

So let’s look at BIG thinking. I had a vision for what I thought a business should look like and I worked towards putting in place all the right things to make it happen. The right backing, finances, business plan because we were going for financing, and we looked at what the competition doing, who were they serving and where was the need. We had a vision of being a million dollar company right from the start and kept that vision strong in our minds.

      2.       I had a Solid Systems.

Then it was onto how would we run the company? How is it to be structured? Should it be a partnership or a corporation? What systems could we use that would ensure that we did not lose our shirts. We looked at what kind of system we could run under and developed a back end database program to track and take care of our clients. We made sure we had a solid policy manual (which was also developed further over the years) that would explain how we wanted the company ran for our employees so that they understood what we were asking of them. Then we ensured we gave solid, consistent training and that each office was a replica of the next. Call it a cookie cutter method if you will.

3.       We took Smart, Deliberate, Quick Action when needed.

Being able to adapt to changing market and not wallow in problems is vital for an entrepreneur. Working smart, having good systems and taking deliberate action was an important factor to being able to keep up with the giants in the industry. We advertised and marketed like crazy and did some amazing things like huge billboards and pre-event marketing that had clients lined up at the doors on opening day.

4.       We were able to solidify great relationships.

We created communication with the competition where we shared ideas and information within limits. We created additional product sources and had great relationships with who we were working with, and those relationships helped give us credibility in the industry. We kept the philosophy of win/win ever present in our minds.

5.       We stopped trying to do it all on our own. Let go of Ego.

When we started to learn that in order to run a successful company we needed to trust, and let our employees do what they were best at doing, that is when things began to fall into place. We had to leave our egos at the door and understand that we had taught them, and that even though they needed us still, we had to loosen the strings in order for them to flourish and show how much they valued the company, and what they were doing. We used the skills of each employee and they grew better for it.

6.       We showed we cared, and added value to our customers.

We encouraged our customers, showed them we cared, gave referral bonuses, talked with our customers, advertised and made them feel like they were not alone. We heard more stories about people’s lives then I will share here, but what it did was let people from all walks of life know that they were valued as people.

7.       We understood the numbers.

We had done our business plan and knew what we needed to grow. We had a balanced framework with our product, our marketing and our financial operations. Whenever we lost touch with that again, it showed. Understanding where you stand, and what you need to achieve your end goal is important and really the key.

8.       We were great problem solvers.

Being a great problem solver is important. Issues come up in any business and knowing what you will do and seeing your end result helps make it easier to predict how you will react and what steps you can take to rectify the situation.

9.       We were always learning and watching our industry.

We knew what was changing in the industry, we focused on what was working, and we made sure if we could that we were the first. We showed value to our customers even though our price may have been different than others.

10.   We had perseverance.

We stayed our course, and were committed to the business. Sometimes this was a difficult thing to do but in the end overall it was a success because we did have perseverance.

Now, did we always do the right thing? No absolutely not! But we did have the ability to see the mistakes and attempt to fix them. Did our employees always love us? No not always, but we did care about people and did our best to create a team environment where they felt included and valued and when we let that slip, it showed in performance from the team.  The things we learned from this business have been incredible for future success and have allowed me to now help others in their journey for fulfillment in their lives. For more on this subject, you can find it in my 10 Complete Secrets to Business Success, or my Business Blockbusters Now product coming out this October. For more information please visit my websites and let me know how I can help you create your million dollar business.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? Feel Free. Simply include this blurb with it: Darcelle Runciman is a Mentor, Author and CEO of Strategic Biz Builder.  Darcelle  mentors entrepreneurs and small business owners how to use systems and their brilliance to increase their profits and create mo*ney making businesses by showing you steps to take to gain clarity and retain that balance that we all strive for. Darcelle works with groups, through tele-classes, through her online products, and her Adventure Mentoring Programs. For more information visit www.darcellerunciman.com and sign up for her Fr*ee audio on 12 -Tips to Profiting in Business, and her Fr*ee Ezine “Inspired Business”. Also check out www.strategicbizbuilder.com

1.      Show them the money. What motivates employees more than gifts is cash. I once heard of the idea of adding cash onto a credit card for the employee to use in whatever way they chose. We have done this in the past by offering cash to employees. Paying for performance and incentive packages, profit sharing all of these work towards letting your staff know that you value them and their productivity will grow.

2.      Rinse and Repeat. Handing out a gift once a year does not encourage results. Rewards should be given quarterly, at the very least. Also recognizing birthdays of employees lets them know you care. Use this time however to address not just a specific performance but overall in terms of they helped increase sales, gave great customer service, or they made recommendations that were used by the company that resulted in increased overall company profit. This will help increase employee “by in” and help you run a well oiled machine.

3.      Branding. So you may ask, if we do not give away shirts or golf balls with our branding on it then do we loose out with giving just cash to our employees? Definitely not. How about branding that credit card that you give to your staff, which reinforces your branding every time it is used. If someone decides that they want to use that for smaller purchases then think about how many times they may possibly have that card out. This results in the response of gaining from the company by a positive act by the employee. What you are doing is helping that employee along to do what is right for your company resulting in a win win.

 ”Live Life on Fire”

Darcelle Runciman

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? Feel Free. Simply include this blurb with it: Darcelle Runciman is Author, Mentor and CEO of Strategic Biz Builder.  Darcelle  mentors entrepreneurs and small business owners how to use systems and their brilliance to increase their profits and create mo*ney making businesses by showing you steps to take to gain clarity and retain that balance that we all strive for. Darcelle works with groups, through tele-classes, through her online products, and her Adventure Mentoring Programs. For more information visit www.darcellerunciman.com and sign up for her Fr*ee audio on 12 -Tips to Profiting in Business, and her Fr*ee Ezine “Inspired Business”.

First, let’s talk about the differences between both. Working IN your business is if you are the only one working on the success of the company, if you are the scheduler of your appointments, enter contact names into the business database yourself, package your products, label, and ship all yourself. Then you are working IN your business. On the flip side if you are working ON your business you are contributing to your business and driving all major decisions on the macro level not all the tiny details. Your business then flourishes because your team is working with their particular strength, adding value on a daily basis and are happy. You are thinking and acting as a CEO and not an employee for your company. How do you work ON your business and not IN?

1.        Hire out work, have solid systems, and have a plan.

2.        Document your business and the operations of the company so that your policies and procedures will enable your employees to manage the daily details without you.

3.        Having leadership skills and a clear vision of where your company is heading are vital.

4.        A simple concise plan for the overall development of the company and managing the people working with you are also important.

5.        Be systematic in creating steps to increase your visibility and your business growth, and then let go and delegate your business. Years ago with one of my businesses we had this system in place and I did not have to be in the business on a daily basis because of the systematic approach and this is why it was as successful as it was.

So your first step is to have a company that is systems-oriented. Having a procedure manual that staff can follow that helps the company run easily and consistently. Making yourself replaceable is what you are looking for in order to have a business you are working ON and not IN. Having systems and processes will enable you to get out of the mountain of details, enjoy your business and regain your life. For more tips check out http://www.darcellerunciman.com under “Resources”, and our “Products” page for more on building your business.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? Feel Free. Simply include this blurb with it: Darcelle Runciman is Author, Mentor and CEO of DarcelleRunciman.com.  Darcelle  mentors entrepreneurs and small business owners how to use systems and their brilliance to increase their profits and create mo*ney making businesses by showing you steps to take to gain clarity and retain that balance that we all strive for. Darcelle works with groups, through tele-classes, through her online products, and her Adventure Mentoring Programs. For more information visit www.darcellerunciman.com and sign up for her Fr*ee audio on 12 -Tips to Profiting in Business, and her Fr*ee Ezine “Inspired Business”.

Well, here are some quick tips on how to find out the root of the issue, deal with your business and take care of it as you need to. It is one thing to care about your staff however you must set ground rules for the business and encourage peak performance.

1.            Identify barriers to the performance. Is the employee lacking in a specific area. Can they learn a new skill that would help and encourage them to become a greater contributor to the team. Are they happy with their role in the company? Are they possibly looking for more responsibility or are they simply over stimulated and just can’t keep up. Do you have regular reviews with staff to see if they are fulfilling what are their strengths and what they do well. This is best done at the beginning, and even during the interview stage however can be done at any point.

2.            Focus on the behaviour not the person. Do your best to look at the specific performance issues and not the person. What is the behaviour, lack of interest – which could simply be due to the person not in a role that speaks to her/his skill level. Perhaps they are better suited to be in a management position and they are in reception and this is the cause of the unhappiness. Check for the underlying items that may be overshadowed by the person.

3.            Encourage behaviour change- It’s all in your words and how you address this issue. Show your stripes, and position, but with grace. One way to address a late situation for example could be this; You know you have been consistently late and this is not acceptable. Or you could address what behaviour we want by saying, “I noticed that you were not at your desk on time this morning this has been the 4^th time. This concerns me because when you are not here others have to carry your load, I need you to be here at 8 am everyday, is there something that is preventing you from doing that?”  This way it opens the communication and the employee does not feel challenged but valued while still being told they need to be there on time.

4.            Empower staff. Give your employee a role and let her do her job. When we release a project to the team once the requirements are explained, let them do their job, that is when people shine. Letting them take charge and make it work gives them a sense of responsibility and makes them accountable not only to you but themselves which in the end creates more respect all around.

5.            Recognize staff. Honor a job well done. Regardless of if we are busy, our employees need us. They need direction, communication, respect, and understanding. They also in return need to show respect and fulfill their role in the company.

In the end if all these items are tried and the behaviour of the employee does not change….well you know what to do. However more often than not, communication is the thing that is missing and once that is solved, many issues will be resolved.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? Feel Free. Simply include this blurb with it:Darcelle Runciman is Author, Mentor and CEO of DarcelleRunciman.com.  Darcelle  mentors entrepreneurs and small business owners how to use systems and their brilliance to increase their profits and create mo*ney making businesses by showing you steps to take to gain clarity and retain that balance that we all strive for. Darcelle works with groups, through tele-classes, through her online products, and her Adventure Mentoring Programs. For more information visit www.darcellerunciman.comand sign up for her Fr*ee audio on 12 -Tips to Profiting in Business, and her Fr*ee Ezine “Inspired Business”.