What is Your Business For?
Why did you start your business? Look way back, when you were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!
What did you expect from your business?
Constant stress?
18hr days?
Whining employees?
Grumpy customers?
Free quotes?
Unpaid service calls?
…Probably not; I’ll bet you were looking for high income, flexible hours, perhaps even complete time autonomy!
More time to do what you want! Have you achieved it? Most small business owners will answer with a resounding NO! It’s time to get your business working for you.
Efficiency vs. Effectiveness
I have ready a lot of business books, and listened to a lot of business speakers. Most focus on efficiency, or being able to get more done in less time. While this is a very valuable skill, getting to the wrong destination quickly is still a bad idea.
Unlike efficiency, effectiveness is directionally dependent; that means that it depends on where you want to go.
My goal is to maximize my life’s enjoyment.
Systems Beat Discipline
Every Day
If systems are better, outsourcing is best! Outsourcing doesn’t mean only to “other people” but also to automation.
Outsourcing not only saves you the mental effort, but also the time of accomplishing a task. Remember that just because you are the best at something does NOT mean that you should be the one to do it.
Outsource it, get it off your plate and move on to the MOST IMPORTANT things that you can be doing.
- Hire a virtual assistant
- Make a FAQ page on your website
- Hire a collections firm
- Hire a 100% commission sales/estimator rep
You might be able to do any one of your tasks better than anybody, but if you don’t have to do them, it will free up your time to push your company further!
Reduction Beats Outsourcing
…Most Days
Remember, efficiently moving in the wrong direction is still…wrong. Cut out anything that you don’t need to do.
Always ask: Is this (…) making by life better/worse/neither? Cut out anything that doesn’t belong.
Conclusion
A lot of the thoughts here were initiated by the book “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Timothy Ferriss. While he focuses on internet based businesses, most of the principles are also directly useful in the construction industry.
My time is my most precious asset and I guard it furiously; there is simply nothing in business more valuable than time. It is time to end the entrepreneur’s grind.
I hope that will have success in your hunt for a better and more fulfilling life through your business!
Devon Lybbert, P.Eng.
CEO
Lybroco Rentals
1.800.674.1018
info@LybrocoRentals.com