How to Grow Then Scale Your Business in a Way That Feels Good!
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What happens when you are ‘doing’ all the right things, but it isn’t working out as it should? Maybe you’ve invested in a magical formula solution, or maybe you’ve seen things work for your competition or friends' businesses, but when you try it out - it falls flat. Figuring out how to grow then scale your business in a way that feels good becomes a challenge.
Entrepreneurship is trial and error. You know that. You’ve had your fair share of errors, but you’re wondering where the win is. Do that too many times and you are going to be more frustrated than ….
In this article I will share with you how you can turn your business around when you have the right support alongside you and how to find that support!
Are you doing all the right things in your business, but you’re still not where you want to be?
Do you feel like you’re working harder than ever, but still more stagnant than you’ve ever been?
Is the confusion of it all filling you with frustration? If we’re being honest, it should be!
I know from personal experience that there’s nothing more frustrating than doing all the right things but still not getting the desired results.
Luckily, we have the inside scoop on why this might be happening to you and your business!
In this article I will walk you through the basics of how to grow then scale your business…not only to get the job done most efficiently but in a way that feels GOOD to you. (Novel idea, right? 😉).
Let’s get started!
The Myth of The ‘One Size-Fits All’, Magical Business Formulas
One of our clients had a high-performing five-figure business and sought advice from a mentor flaunting one of those “secret-magic formulas.” C’mon, you know what we’re talking about. Those ”Do business exactly like me and you will succeed” types of formulas seem too-good-to-be-true. I’m sure this will come as no surprise, but they seem too-good-to-be-true because they are. Unfortunately, however, our client figured that out too late. They went all in, followed their mentor’s instructions to a T, and, still, her business significantly shrank.
After this discouraged client came to us, we asked her about the formula she tried to implement into her business and immediately knew what had gone wrong. Regardless of how well it might have worked for the person who created it, the formula was not aligned with our client’s business, and it was completely out of whack to what her business represented and the clients she served. Ultimately, this ‘one size fits all’ magic formula put her out of business.
All of this sounds scary, I know.
But, the good news is this: You’re here…right now…reading this blog. Which means, as unfortunate as this situation was for our former client, the story can be used as a lesson for you and so many entrepreneurs like you who want (and deserve) to do things the RIGHT WAY when it comes to their business. And the first step to doing things the ‘right way’? Discovering the key role that ALIGNMENT plays in finding success in your business.
Understanding The Importance of Alignment in Your Business
Being open to new and innovative ideas is certainly useful for growing and scaling your business. However, it’s crucial to be aware of how these new and innovative ideas can hinder us if we don’t first consider their alignment with our business model before incorporating them.
Misalignment in your business can:
Make your business feel like a burden.
A goal we strive for in expanding your business is avoiding potential burnout. And, seeing as these aforementioned issues put a damper on achieving that goal, we want to avoid them at all costs. That being said, if you’re already experiencing any or all of these, I have good news! There’s still a chance that you can turn things around and get your business to the level you want it to go, but it will require you to stay open to different perspectives. Here’s what I mean:
Three Things You Need to Grow then Scale Your Business
1. Grow The Scale Your Business Tip: Alignment Between Your Goals and Your Growth
(Yes, yes, I know we already touched on this. But, the importance of alignment truly cannot be understated!).
Often, we are too close to the picture and cannot see the frame. Not sure what I mean by this? Let me explain.
Sometimes, we’re too close or too familiar with the business to be able to clearly see when things are out of alignment. This is when a new set of eyes (or, better yet, an entire community with multiple sets of news eyes) comes in handy.
When you have people around you to say “But, wait… you hate that sort of thing. Why are you doing it?” or “That doesn’t really sound like you…Is there another way you could approach this?”, staying in alignment with your true self and the business values you’ve worked so hard to maintain becomes easier than ever.
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2. Grow The Scale Your Business Tip: Create More Ease
Speaking of “easier than ever,” we’re coming up on our next (and equally important) tip to grow then scale your business in a way that feels good: ease.
It’s easy to get locked in to doing what “makes sense” and forget to do what actually feels good. We’re not talking about overindulging here. We’re talking about the fact that, when it comes to business, what’s “easy” gets done…and what’s “hard” gets delayed.
Keeping the Pareto Principle in mind is helpful to ingrain this concept into your mind. Check it out:
Apply the Pareto’s Principle 80/20 Rule.
Pareto’s principle 80/20 rule essentially states that the 20% effort you put into improving your strengths will give you an 80% result, meaning that focusing your effort on mastering your strengths (rather than your weaknesses) will provide you with the biggest bang for your buck.
So, how does this apply to scaling our business with ease?
It simply tells us that we don’t need to do everything. The energy that we’re expanding on things that don’t fit into your business can be better channeled to build on and nurture the things that do.
Bottom line: Get into the habit of looking for that ease, finding those strengths, and aligning your 20% effort that gives you that 80% result.
3. Grow The Scale Your Business Tip: Resist the 180
I’ll let you in on a little secret.
The last thing I wanted to do for a long time is create a 7 figure business.
In all of the depictions I saw of successful women in business, the women being portrayed were constantly overwhelmed, drowning in to-do lists, and sacrificing their family time. As someone who values family above all else, this kind of situation did not fit into my vision for the future. Exchanging family time for success was simply not a sacrifice I was willing to make. So, with these values and fears in mind, I spent way too many years making efforts towards scaling my business… just to get scared again and pull a complete 180. I was stuck in a cycle of “one step forward and two steps back” because I let this antiquated idea of what it meant to be a successful business woman get in my way.
But, what I eventually learned is this: What might be true to someone else is not necessarily true for you. There are ways to create the life and business you want without sacrificing the things you want most out of life.
And the only way to find that out for yourself is to give it a try. Go all the way, no holds barred. No take-backs. No 180 turns.
It’s time to go all-in, folks.
Wrapping it All Up
At the end of the day, is it true that there are many things about the business journey that are universal? Absolutely. The fact that it is difficult requires teamwork, and is constantly changing is experienced universally by business owners.
…But, does that then mean that the strategy that one person uses to successfully grow their business is the same strategy that will help you grow then scale your business?
Definitely not.
It is essential that any new model, idea, or concept that you integrate into your business strategy:
Are you ready to FINALLY create a strategy that brings in repeat customers and residual income WITHOUT piling on dreaded client acquisition costs! find time to chat at www.yourbizrules.com/chat.
About Leslie Hassler, Small Business Scaling Strategist
Leslie Hassler is a dynamic author, speaker, and business strategist who helps women-led service businesses produce predictable profits, fund growth, stabilize cash flow and enjoy more freedom. Business owners come to Leslie seeking a way to strategically scale their businesses, stop money leaks, and get in control with confidence.
With over 15 years of experience in business, finance, mindset, and more, Leslie takes multiple 6 and 7-figure businesses from cash-strapped and struggling to profitable and thriving through her unique Profitable Growth Incubator.
Leslie is the founder of Your Biz Rules business coaching. Her genius has been featured on stages across the United States, including the National Association of Women Business Owners, SCORE, the Texas Conference for Women, and publications such as Entrepreneur.com and Business.com.