When I moved from working in corporate America to working with online entrepreneurs I noticed a huge difference in the business processes.
Can you guess what it was?
Online entrepreneurs typically do not have business processes, procedures, systems, or workflows.
Why does this matter?
It matters because underneath all of our great works is a business. A living, breathing entity that needs nourishment - and that nourishment needs to be more than financial sustenance.
And if you want to have a business that supports your needs, lifestyle, AND your transformational contribution . . . then you guessed it . . . you can't do any of that without proper internal nourishment.
THE TRANSFORMATIONAL LIFESTYLE BUSINESS MODEL (transformational + feminine power practices)
AND of course, in the business model I live, explore, develop and teach is the transformational lifestyle model. This business model focuses on building a business around your lifestyle that protects and supports an energy, space, time, location and financial freedom framework so you can live a fulfilled life.
None of this is possible if you're sitting at your computer all day, manually tending to all the tasks. You will never be free and one day you'll wake up and you'll have a job that works you 60 hours a week, instead of a platform that allows you to share your big message with the world while you travel, raise your kids, start a not-for-profit, or that art showcase you've always wanted to create.
So, let's dive into the essential departments that keep your business in flow. In future posts of this series, we'll be taking a deeper dive into each one as well as which services, systems, and workflows will support your business growth.
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3 Essential Systems to Consistently Attract Soulmate Clients and Keep Your Programs Full!
THE FIRST THING -- awareness
What parts of your business are essential to your success?
Depending on your business structure, what you offer, and how you deliver those offers will help you decide which of the business essentials below matter to you. And there might be some that matter to you now and others that will need to be added in a year or two.
Just notice the ones you need to bring into your field of awareness and focus solely on those for now.
The first thing to think about when you seek a more "hands-off" and manageable flow are the following departments:
Human Resources – If you hire or contract out to others, you’ll need to set up systems that keep you organized and help you manage all of your HR. Having some knowledge of this, even if you think you’re going to do everything yourself, is essential because you should not do it all yourself. Stick with your zone of genius and consider automating and outsourcing everything else.
Accounting and Finance – Every business needs to figure out how they will keep track of income and expenses and set up benchmarks for planning purposes. There's a lot you can automate in this area and in a future post we'll dive in deeper to give you a place to start looking at what you need.
Marketing and Advertising – No business can exist if they don’t get the word out about their solutions, services, offers, and message.
Production – If you have a product, whether physical or digital, the product has to be produced somehow. Many stages of production can be automated depending on the type of products you have.
Information Technology – Online businesses are built with technology ... lots of technology that need to work together as a team. I encourage you to have a general understanding of the technology available in your industry to help you manage your business. This will help you make informed decisions and hire the right people when it's time.
Operations – The inner workings of your business are perfect for automation. It doesn’t matter if you sell products, manufacture products, or perform services, someone has to be managing the process. Typically, that falls in the small business owner's wheelhouse, even though it shouldn't. At the start of any business it usually is the entrepreneur who must wear all the hats. But that doesn't have to be your set up. With the right automations you can be free to focus on your work. It really can be done.
Customer Service – Even if you only serve five customers a year, you need to focus on customer care in order to keep your customers happy. A lot of this process can be automated too.
Purchasing – This is a department that will often fall to the owner of a small business but exists as a separate department in a large business. In this department, you’ll want to figure out what the business needs, how much, when, and negotiate better prices, and so forth.
Legal Department – This is often an overlooked area for small self-owned businesses, but it is important to acknowledge that this should be a top priority. You always want to make sure that what you do is legal and follows the laws. There is a way to get advice, review your website legal pages, and have someone check your contracts and legal documents without needing to keep a lawyer on retainer. We will cover this in a future article.
Business Development and Growth – This includes sales, marketing, project management, product management, and more. If you focus on business growth, you’ll need to strengthen these skills so you can leverage what you have to expand your audience and bring in more revenue.
As soulful entrepreneurs we must be mindful of the energy we put out to the world. The intention behind our business strategies and marketing methods make a lasting impression on who we want to serve. They directly impact what our audience thinks of us, what they believe about the world, and how they feel about themselves.
We hold a powerful influence.
It's precious.
Therefore, it should represent our deepest values and purest beliefs.
Are your business and marketing strategies representing you?
Do they align with how you want to show up?
But these fundamental departments of your small business bare considering so that you can create a solid foundation for the transformational business you are creating.