I LOVE my clients, full stop — especially my business owner clients.
You “get” what it takes for me to run a firm, to communicate effectively with my team, to manage our marketing, to stay on top of technology (a fast-growing *discipline*, I’d say), and to ensure that all the parts are running smoothly.
When I studied for my degree, they didn’t tell me that a big part of what I would be doing couldn’t be taught in school.
Do you feel like that? You’re not alone, if so.
The just passed “tax season” is one of my best times to be getting a pulse of my business owner clients. But this year, I’ve noticed something interesting: Many of my business owner clients have been asking me about these weekly notes! Specifically, about how I manage to get them done effectively, even in the crush of busy season.
All these questions, as well as other things I’ve observed recently, has led to my article, below. It’s a broader question really — and it comes down to the critical importance of focus for a business owner. In this online age, even amazing notes like mine [blush] … well, they can be a distraction. Unless, of course, they push you to what you know you must be doing.
So, read on for a dose of encouragement. I don’t intend to “toot my own horn” in writing this, but rather I want to help YOU stay focused on productivity — and on how your daily activities are moving you towards the right goals.
Let me know if you want to have further conversations about what I write about this week …
How To Increase Productivity For Newtown Square, PA Businesses
“To rule is easy, to govern difficult.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
It’s been said many times, and it might seem like a cliche, but that’s because it’s truth:Having laser-sharp focus on productivity is crucial to your long term success. Having a good business idea and sticking with it until it either succeeds or fails is actually a learned skill – a skill that many entrepreneurs unfortunately lack, and so they burn out as a result.
Results Come with Persistence, Not Singular Spurts of Effort
Entrepreneurs often feel powerful spurts of desire, of determination, of feeling like they’re willing to do whatever it takes. Feeling that way for a few days or weeks isn’t an uncommon feeling.
However, to really succeed you need to be able to stay motivated and inspired about what you’re doing — for months and YEARS at a time. You see, if this economy has shown us anything, we are seeing that business is not a short-term game. You have wins and you have losses. It’s a matter of persisting through all the ups and downs to the final result of real success. That takes time, of course … but it really takes the learned skill of systemized focus.
Improve Your Focus With Productivity Systems
Your habits play a large role in how focused you remain throughout your day.
One habit that many of my successful clients have is planning their day at the beginning of the day. When you wake up, the first thing you should do (before checking that email or social media) is get out a sheet of paper, or your favorite app, and write out exactly what you want to accomplish.
One smart strategy is to write TWO kinds of goals: 1) Your “stretch” goal for the day and 2) Your SMART goal.
The purpose of the stretch goal should be setting your big-picture marker for where you want to take your business. But then the magic happens when you match up goals that are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound.
Doing that every day will, perhaps, scare you.
But try this for 30 days, and report to me the results — you’ll be amazed and gratified.
Staying Flexible Within a Focused Goal Environment
Business seldom goes as you expect, right? So if you have one plan to generate traffic to your website, office or store, one plan for what you are selling, one plan about how your business should look — and you’re not willing to deviate from these plans, 2016 might continue to be a rough year for you.
However, don’t confuse flexibility in strategy with bouncing around completely different paths. If you jump from trying to do internet affiliate marketing, to trying to flip real estate, to trying to trade Forex online, you are certainly destined to fail.
On the other hand, if something isn’t working then don’t bash your head against a wall trying to make it work. There are many business models available, which are still showing great returns (trust me–I see the books). So, be willing to be flexible and adapt.
So being able to hold both focus towards a goal and flexibility in the method of getting there is crucial to success. A wise mentor of mine once said, do you care too much about exactly how you will make your revenue?” Because sometimes, methods which worked for years start drying up.
So know your broad goals. Know what’s important to know. But most importantly — know what you are doing each day, and if it’s working.
If it’s not, let’s talk. I’d love to be a resource.
Feel very free forward this article to a Newtown Square, PA business associate or client you know who could benefit from our assistance — or simply send them our way? While these particular articles usually relate to business strategy, as you know, we specialize in tax preparation and planning for Newtown Square, PA families and business owners. And we always make room for referrals from trusted sources like you.
Warmly,
Stephen Venuti
610-353-0686
Stephen J. Venuti, CPA, MST, LLC
