The Good News For Overwhelmed Business Owners
My breaking points have always instigated the major changes in my life. And I don't think it's just me. One such breaking point happened when I was running my first business. In lieu of going into astronomical debt by going to veterinary school, I started a petsitting company instead. I figured this accomplished my goal of working with animals AND I’d be in control of my own destiny by being a business owner! Hurray!
Boo! Two years later business was great, but I was working 12-16 hour days to keep up with demand, and my body was all of a sudden covered in hives. I was a walking red blotch, but luckily pets don’t judge because taking time off from my business was not an option. I was my business.
Those hives were not just any old hives, they were stress-induced hives. My body was sending me a loud message. That was my breaking point. The moment when I knew with certainty that something had to change in my business because what I done was create a very bad job for myself.
That breaking point led me to make changes that created a seven-figure company that I was able to eventually sell. It wasn’t magic, sudden, or easy but it was simple. I created systems, documented procedures, and systematically delegated every single activity that was part of daily operations. In the end, I worked less, A LOT LESS and make A LOT MORE revenue and impact. Instead of a job, my company became an asset.
Can You Relate?
The other day I spoke to an overwhelmed and overworked business owner. Let's call her Olive. Olive is in her second year of business and the conversation went something like this:
Me: "What prompted you to schedule this Discovery Call?"
Olive: "Basically, I am drowning and so exhausted. I can barely keep my head above water and I am losing sleep because I am constantly worried that I am dropping too many balls. What I am doing is no longer working, and I am working a lot!
Me: "That is GREAT news!"
And scene.
Obviously, it is not ideal to be in a prolonged state of stress from overworking in your business. BUT, there is some pretty darn good news that comes along with being an overwhelmed business owner.
The Good News About Being An Overwhelmed Business Owner:
People are buying what you are selling! In just two years, Olive has a proven business model. If she was not overwhelmed by the demands from growing sales, she would be dealing with a very different kind of problem--lack of sales. And that problem is a much harder one to diagnose and fix. So, tired business owner, rejoice because this is a growing pain and all successful businesses have them.
Thanks to your extreme state of stress, you have reached a breaking point. This means you are finally ready to delegate and start working ON your business. This is a game changer when it comes to building a sustainable business. Growth and comfort seldom coexist so use the discomfort of being overworked and overwhelmed to motivate you to delegate to a virtual assistant or virtual hire.
This is a terrific time to evaluate your current pricing and adjust with customer demand, added experience, and expense of a growing team in mind. Let's be honest, there is a 99.99% chance that your prices are too low. And there is a 99.99% chance you are worried that you will lose your current customers and scare future customers away. And there is a 99.99% chance that this story you are telling yourself is false and sabotaging your real success. Pinky promise.
And the good news keeps coming! Overwhelm is simple to fix. You have to DO LESS in order to reclaim your time, be the leader and visionary of your company, and achieve more in your business. Of course, this takes time and having a system and strategy will make it a whole lot easier.
Are You Ready To Leverage Your Overwhelm And Delegate?
Are you always running out of time to work on things like business development, growth strategies, new offerings, your systems, analyzing your financials, and building your team?
As your business has grown, have your work hours and stress levels come along for the ride?
Are you reaching a revenue ceiling because you are at capacity?
Do you have big goals and a vision for your business that you can’t seem to make happen?
DOES ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, it is time to delegate and reclaim your time so you can transform your business from a DIY job into an profitable asset. Working with a hand selected, pre-vetted virtual assistant is an ideal option for overwhelmed business owners who need help, but lack the time to find the right fit for their needs.