Business owners carry an extraordinary number of pressures. Organising the work that needs doing. Managing a myriad of people – staff, suppliers, subcontractors. Quoting (and for those who do it properly, following up). And then, of course, there’s the money: worrying about who needs paying, whether there will be enough in the bank at the end of the month, and keeping on top of tax, VAT, PAYE… the list goes on and on.
With so many demands on our time, it’s no wonder that many business owners struggle to do the things that actually keep their business on track and moving forward.
“It’s all very well for you to tell me to work on my business but when am I supposed to find the time?”
Now, I would argue (rightly) that business owners who feel time-poor and overwhelmed are usually in that position because they don’t yet have the systems in place that create freedom – both in time and in money. I’d also say they should take fifteen minutes to complete the Business MOT on my website.
But even without perfect systems,
Here are 5 simple things every business owner should do every week that will make a massive difference immediately.
In the age of online banking, spreadsheets, and accounting software, there is no excuse for not knowing your numbers.
By Friday evening, you should know how much money you made that week – and I mean real profit, not just how much cash happens to be in the bank.
I do mine on my phone. It takes about 15 minutes, and I know exactly where I stand financially.
Every business owner should do the same.
Remember:
Know the truth. Your business depends on it.
Go through your list of outstanding quotes and pick up the phone.
Around 80% of lost sales are lost simply because nobody asks for the order. Not because the customer said no – but because no one followed up.
Call them. Ask the question. You’ll be amazed how many extra sales you generate just by doing this consistently.
Look ahead.
If the answer is no, then you know what needs doing.
Having a clear target – and working deliberately towards it – can completely change your business universe.
Communication is everything in business.
A quick phone call to say “hello”, “how are you?”, and yes, even the occasional “thank you”, goes a long way.
These short conversations:
Five minutes per person is a fantastic investment of your time.
There is nothing big, clever, or heroic about working endless hours.
The more tired you are, the less effective you become.
Go home. Turn off the laptop. Switch off email notifications. Chill out.
You’ll come back to work clearer, sharper, and far more productive than if you’d stayed late pretending to be busy.
No one expects you to know everything about running a business – so why expect that of yourself?
Speak to other business owners. Learn from advisers. Read. Take courses. Work with a coach.
That one new piece of knowledge could be the difference between struggling and succeeding.
"*" indicates required fields
Responsive site designed and developed by
