Business Coach Houston • Small Business Online Coach • Profitability Coach Houston

Small Business Coaching - Business Growth

Have you ever run a business? Did your employees lack a consistent way to rank their work? Did they miss the right tools helping them decide? 

Let me tell you. 

You aren’t alone in in this experience. 

What if you had a set of core values that defined how people think or act. 

That means learning the core values. That means fully embracing them. That also means having the ability to decide and rank the work people do using them. While all this is true, it also means making mistakes in building your strategic plan. 

Making mistakes is normal. Yet, there are four mistakes you should avoid making when you build your strategic plan because they could destroy your business even before you begin. That’s exactly where I’d like to help you. Let’s start looking at them.

Most business owners rush to make changes internally when the market stops responding to their services or goods. 

Most business owners know that for these changes to work effectively, your best employees must embrace them. 

That is why you not only have to talk about change but also  talk to the right people. 

These employees could influence more business growth. 

For discovering your company’s core values talk to your three best employees. Ask them to explain what your company does best. Then add these core values to your strategic plan. You will now distill the best value your business brings for your customers.

Have you ever dismissed what words describe your best employees? Maybe you did it unknowingly. 

You know it’s a mistake. 

Yet, it isn’t too late. Brainstorm now. Find out who these employees are. 

Discover how they go about their work and what customers or co-workers say about them. 

Find out the reason they add value to your business. 

If you do this exercise, you will soon discover the “real” core values driving your business. 

That will make it easy for you to build out your strategic plan. It will also become the best plan that works.

Are the core values for your business just for show? 

Do you just post them on the wall and forget about them? 

Such actions will not only damage credibility for your business but also set a precedence for the future. 

Do this instead. 

Be creative. Use stories to describe work people do. Make it a ritual. Make it real. 

Show that you care. Share a story from the past month, which talks about your core value.  

Use the language of your core values everywhere. Use them in your job descriptions.  

Use these words when employees join your business. 

Use them when you evaluate work they do.  Link every result with a core value.  If you do, your strategic plan will become the guide for the culture of your business. 

That will yield more sustained business growth.

Do you use your core values in your decisions as a business owner? Are you consistent in using them? 

If not, it’s time to change. 

When you decide on any issue, connect it to a core value.  

When you reprimand or praise, refer to a core value.  Build a ritual. Keep a few rules. Repeat yourself. Be consistent. 

You will soon find out that your employees are now able to work more effectively. They understand how you decide. Importantly, they know how they should decide on their day-to-day work. 

If you avoid these 4 mistakes, your strategic plan will not only be practical but also produce lasting results for your business.

Written by Suresh Iyengar, P.E., President, Business Unit Execution LLC––if you ever wanted to get ahead in starting your business, running your business or growing your business then invest in a business coach in Houston, and set up your FREE Explosive Business Results phone call. CLICK HERE.

Small Business Coaching - Business Growth

“Coaching helps you ferret out your goals from deep inside you.” 

Have you ever felt that you miss focusing on your goals in your business? You aren’t alone. Most business owners know that you have to stay focused with their short-term and long-term goals if you want success in your business. That takes a new mindset.

It takes not only the story you create in your mind about your business, the way you think and feel about your but also the strategy you apply to get it done. You have to ask yourself. Do I have what it takes to grow my business?

If you have a business, making a profit is essential. That shows your commitment to stay in business. Research shows that more than 40% of businesses fail in the first 5 years. That is because most people start a business without knowing what affects it. This makes it hard for them to make a profit. And it makes sense.

Many business owners have no idea about their break even point. It’s a vital health check for your business. That is why it makes sense to use business coaching when you are a business owner.

Let me ask you. Are you focusing your time and effort on the business? Business coaching will help you manage your time so you get more leads. You could then convert them into sales. That means you now have more paying customers. That means more money coming into the business. 

Such one-on-one mentoring and coaching will help you build a sales method. It will help you build an effective marketing plan – one that will produce return on your investment. You will get help in lowering your fixed costs. You will get help in pricing your goods and services. You will discover lean methods to boost efficiencies. Isn’t that what you really want?

When you start carrying out these strategies each week, you will get results – results you never thought possible. 

Coaches will challenge you to focus on taking actions that will help you get more profit in your business. 

Some people get into business because they have seen someone else succeed. They have seen someone else make money, get rich. They start believing that they can copy someone else’s life. You already know such efforts plummet. It doesn’t work. It lacks authenticity.

What takes you to the right place is a proper niche. You have to research the market. You have to be having total drive in making your business succeed. Sometimes you might forget the time when you are that focused. You might not even experience fatigue. This means your passion is working. You are on the right path.

As you continue working with your business coach, you will realize you are now becoming subconsciously competent. You started from subconscious incompetence. Next, you found conscious incompetence.  Then you went to conscious competence. Finally, you turned into an expert with subconscious competence. That is how you evolved. That is your journey.

That is how business coaching will help you do more with your business. 

Some business owners think depositing cash in the bank is the same as making money. However, that’s not a true measure of your ability to make money. You have to measure your cash flow. Check each month. Check each quarter. Positive cash flow shows you are managing your business growth. Negative cash flows shows you are spending more than you should. That’s not what you want.

A business should help you make more money when you have surplus cash flow. That is a measure of progress.

Effective business coaching will not only help you grow your business, make more profits but also do it quickly and sustainably. More often, you will get your money back for the investment you make in hiring the right business coach. You have to be ready to invest your time. There is no shortcut.

When you hire a business coach, you will discover change. Watch out for these conditions.

• You don’t want a consultant who solves a specific problem you define, hands you the bill and then leaves
• You want to work on the business while you continue to improve working in the business
• You want someone to hold you accountable for the steps you plan to take each week
• You are willing to invest a fixed amount of money for business coaching each month
• You want best practices for your business and apply the current strategies to see them in action
• You are willing to set aside 1 to 5 hours per month at least to work on the business
• You want to fully use the Internet and get online coaching to grow your business
• You believe there is you still have much to learn and carry out in your business

With effective business coaching, you will get a one-on-one program. It will make it easy for you to speed up your success. You will have the privacy. You could be working online. The coach will support you and encourage you to deliver higher performance in your business. This could also improve your life. That’s what makes it worthwhile.

You will never regret it as you will see the payback many times over.

Written by Suresh Iyengar, P.E., President, Business Unit Execution LLC––if you ever wanted to get ahead in starting your business, running your business or growing your business then invest in a business coach in Houston, and set up your FREE Explosive Business Results phone call. CLICK HERE.

Small Business Coaching - Business Growth

As a business owner, I’m sure you are asking yourself, “What do I do to make my business the most profitable business?” There is nothing wrong in asking that question. Yet, it takes work. First, you’d want to know what steps you have to take. That’s when your dreams could turn into reality.

After working with thousands of businesses, I’ve realized there is a part that separates the most profitable businesses. They follow 3 common rules; some exceptions apply. You might wonder, “But what about online businesses?” Yes, they find it easier to be more profitable but it’s not a rule. It works better for them because they have lower overhead expenses. Other rules for growth still apply, though.

As you may already be aware, you have to know your business condition. You need that before taking steps on improving it further. 

For example, I recommend using Intuit Quickbooks Online (QBO) - bookkeeping software. You can use it to review status of your business any time and from any place. All you need is access to the Internet. 

As an Intuit QBO pro-advisor, I find it easier to help clients understand the health of their business. You could even connect it with LivePlan, which helps you benchmark your performance. It not only helps you with forecasting but also shows you your business profitability. It even helps you compare your performance versus others in the same industry. Obviously, that promotes faster growth. Who wouldn’t want that?

Now, let’s dive in and look at the three common rules that could make your business the most profitable business.

Many suggest that you have to build a persona of your ideal client. And unless you do that, you won’t qualify your leads. That sounds great. Yet, you know it isn’t easy. Just think about people who are just starting their business. Focus on leads who see value not only in your approach to solve problems but also the value of having you on their side. That means offer services to those who want you on their side – not only for your skills but also for the value you bring for them.

Materials you use to build your services are the goods that become part of your delivery. Your gross profit depends on them. The higher the cost of goods, the lower the gross profit. Obviously, you want to keep them low. What’s the best way then? Well, you could source your materials from different suppliers. Build better inspections. Get more price choices. Get more delivery methods. Insist on a longer warranty period. Finally, stretch your cash flow. Extend time to pay invoices through agreements.

Costs that hit your business whether you sell or not make up your fixed costs. For example: rent, utility bills and insurance. Interestingly, your payroll fits here too. That’s for your employees who consume costs, whether you sell or not. Your fixed costs not only reduce your net profit but also increase your breakeven point. That is the sales you need to meet your expenses. It is the ratio of fixed costs to gross profit margin. As a business owner, make sure that you know your breakeven point. That will get rid of your blind spots. You will now know your true expenses.

These are the 3 big reasons businesses become more profitable. Take these steps and see your business soar. Once you do, you will not be looking back any time soon.

Written by Suresh Iyengar, P.E., President, Business Unit Execution LLC––if you ever wanted to get ahead in starting your business, running your business or growing your business then invest in a business coach in Houston, and set up your FREE Explosive Business Results phone call. CLICK HERE.

Small Business Coaching - Business Growth

Let’s face it. Research tells us that you can’t build trust with your customers if you aren’t listening in business. It is even more true amid a pandemic. Most people now are already preoccupied. Their minds stuck on their business future. They want to be able to forecast. The want the map that shows them how to go from no business to soaring business. 

Listening in business not only could build trust but also make customers want to open up to you. They could reveal their challenges. That could help you build the bridge in this relationship.

But how do you practice listening well. Now, you’re listening. It’s about building a skill, where most of us have to shift our minds and focus. It should be squarely on the customer.

Here are 4 ways you could listen.

When you begin to notice where the customer is when you start the journey, you will find out what affects them. Compliment them for their efforts until that point. That makes customers feel you value them. I must admit here. Most people aren’t always willing to open up. That’s when you start the conversation with a question. I would ask something like, “What’s important to you in a blank? That blank could be the service or product you offer.

This looks difficult but it really is easy. It is about learning to ask the right questions. It’s about improving listening skills. When you do, you are not only making the customer feel important but also discovering more about what they seek. You could then fill their need using your product or service. 

When you find yourself spending more time talking, stop and ask another question. That way you would end up speaking about 1/3rds of the time. It does take practice. But you will get there. And it will pay you back big time when you do.

Let’s face it. We are all a result of our environment. We discover how to distort, delete and generalize every piece of information that flows through our ears. That’s just how we are. If you really want to know why someone does not want your product or service, you have to probe under the surface. You have to peel the orange.

The other day I had someone tell me that he did not need the kind of service that I offered when I explained that I offer profitability coaching. I had to stop and ask what he meant. So I probed: “I don’t mean to be on your back. But what specifically about this service makes you say that.”. 

That opened up another conversation where I was able to dig more and find out the real reason why they did not need a coach at this time.

Have you ever talked with someone where you focused on what’s common right from the start? That’s what makes the difference. Your task in building rapport is to emphasize how you have common tastes or common experiences as the customer.

Second, notice how your customer uses key words or metaphors to vividly describe a particular experience. It could be about their journey or even a product that they previously bought.

One useful question is: “When did you last buy a product or service that you really enjoyed. What did you feel that made you like it so much.”

In the answer to this question, you will find what makes this customer buy. Then you could use an analogy to show how your service or product could achieve the same result. Now, use the exact key words they used to describe their experience.

There you have it. Use these 4 ways to listen more and get your sales soaring – even amid a pandemic.

Written by Suresh Iyengar, P.E., President, Business Unit Execution LLC––if you ever wanted to get ahead in starting your business, running your business or growing your business then invest in a business coach in Houston, and set up your FREE Explosive Business Results phone call. CLICK HERE.

Small Business Coaching - Business Growth

There’s an old saying that business advice is worth more for what it can do for you than what you pay for it. I thought most people saw this coming. But I was wrong. 

At least I was wrong about one business owner who remained skeptical. He wanted to grow his business profits. He had the intent. He did not lack confidence either. But he suffered from extreme skepticism. 

As you might already know, he wasn’t alone. This happens to the best of us. Every business owner wants to make the business profitable. Yet they don’t pause for advice.

When I approached him, he did not want to yield. He did not want to listen, even for useful advice. Somehow, he believed deep inside that he would lose control. That’s why the beginning of change came from changing his beliefs so we could transform his business. We did it together.

Here are the 3 things that happened rocketing business growth for this business.

Each time the phone rang, the business owner picked it up. He answered questions. He talked to the caller more than he needed to. This continued with each caller each day. That left fewer hours for the owner to deliver installation services. Work that produced real sales fell like a stone.

Together, we changed course. We had to change the status quo. We made a list of current tasks. Then, we screened the ones that did not produce revenue. Next, the owner advertised for an office administrator–– and delegated all the non-revenue work. This freed up his time. He could now work on sales and deliver orders. Customers acknowledged the service and rewarded the business through 5-star reviews on Google. This paved the way for even more sales.

In our story, this business did not have a unique selling point or USP. They desperately needed one. Why? Because, it forms a compelling reason for businesses to work with you and not your competitors. Before the USP, proposals weren’t attractive. 

They looked pricey. Customers questioned them. They blocked orders, refusing to buy. This frustrated the owner. We had to make another change.

We worked hard to define a clear USP. It took 11 steps. Suddenly perceptions changed. We added it to each proposal making it even more attractive. Customers now leaped forward to sign agreements. Soon, profits jumped. This not only helped in growing the business but also lowered the pressure on sales. The business had now reached a major turning point. This is how we demonstrated the power of the USP.

Next, we tackled employee performance. Adding an employee was easy. Yet, making them productive was another story. 

But with the help key performance indicators or KPIs, we were able to show individual results. Each employee had their own KPIs. This helped them know how they did. And how their work helped the business make profits. 

We installed a daily report.  Each day, each employee sent their KPIs to the owner. He could see how they made spectacular progress.

These were only 3 simple ways that this business carried out plans and the owner could grow the company 3 times its revenue––beginning from 1X in January and ending with 3X in December.

With further business coaching, even amid a Pandemic, this business is still flourishing while adding more employees and more business growth.

Written by Suresh Iyengar, P.E., President, Business Unit Execution LLC––if you ever wanted to get ahead in starting your business, running your business or growing your business then invest in a business coach in Houston, and set up your FREE Explosive Business Results phone call. CLICK HERE.

Have you tried everything you could only to come up short in growing your business? Has the pandemic affected every nerve of your business? You’re not alone when you feel this way. You have company.

Many businesses find themselves unable to see the fast funding. It doesn’t seem so fast any more. Others feel that their customers have left them hanging by the thread. Can you blame them? Maybe not.

Whether you couldn’t bump up your efforts or whether customers fled, you have in your hands the best choice for your business. 

In this time, finding new incomes is not only your choice, but it is the only choice. It makes sense when you want to stay in business. That is why I’d like to suggest these 5 ways to creatively re-build your business––brick by brick.

Just as you begin to feel that customers have no money to spend, you discover there is still disposable income out there. It is for you to find it. Check your service and re-align it to the most pressing need of this hour. Ask yourself: What would customers need now? And how is my service or offer filling that need? Once you get the answer, re-package your services. You will get traction. Your customers will connect with you. You’ve just discovered their basic need.

When you find yourself in a pandemic, one has to expect that spending would shift. It will go toward essential items. That pummels most industries. Exclude healthcare, medical or even media. You would find it harder to sell your goods and services in most non-essential groups. That’s how it is now.

What could we do then to not only continue but survive and still thrive? 

You might be better off in offering big discounts to customers who sign up for the longer term. Simplify these agreements. You could work with existing or future clients. This would allow you to collect monthly services or sell goods with an up-front charge. The more steps you take to extend terms, the more you’d boost your cash flow. And when the economy recovers, you will find yourself recovering sooner than later. Who wouldn’t want that?

Even when the economy is reeling under a pandemic, people will find ways to spend. If people are spending on goods online, you could get online as well. If you did not have a website with e-commerce, here is your chance for growing your business. Get creative. Build that online store. Invest now so it pays you back sooner than later.

Find out what people will need when they want to recover faster. Then fill that need by repackaging your services or goods. In doing so, you would be creating a want that did not previously exist.

When you see how automakers started producing masks, ventilators and PPE equipment using car making machines, it is obvious they had to adapt. 

You have to do the same.

That could happen when you change your services to cater to a new audience amid a pandemic. Changing the business model could mean changing services or goods to offer relief. Relief to people who are desperately needing help. You could relabel your goods and adjust them to serve a newer purpose. That will get you ahead not only in building rapport but creating a new breed of loyal customers when the economy returns.

Now is the time for review. See how you have been working in delivering goods and services. Do you have a Customer Relationship Method? It’s called CRM. If you don’t, you could inexpensively set one up. If you did not do e-mail marketing previously, you could now set that up to nurture your customers periodically. You will save time and money building that trust. The same trust that seemed so elusive before. And that’s exactly what you want, isn’t it?

Taking these steps will keep you a step ahead of the pandemic. And who knows you might even prosper and thrive when other businesses barely just survive.

Want even faster results? Are you ready to discover how? Call 281.410.5375 to grow your small business.

Written by Suresh Iyengar, P.E., President, Business Unit Execution LLC––“Explosive Business Coaching Houston Results For Small Business”. Want even faster results? Are you ready to discover how? Call 281.410.5375 and speak to your Profitability Coach Houston

Small businesses panic in a crisis. And the coronavirus crisis is no ordinary crisis. It has paralyzed continents. People are stuck indoors. Life has come to a standstill.

As you may also know that during this pandemic, you would be better off serving your employees rather than focus on other parts of the business. So, if there is any way you could repurpose your business, you could get ahead.

Fortunately, business coaching can give you those ideas that you so desperately want for your small business growth––right now.

Here are a few ideas that might help you grow your business quicker.

Employees have worked hard for you in good times. Now, it’s time for you to empower them. One way is to allow them to work from home. Give them tasks to work on the business. 

This is a better choice than focusing on shaving off labor. 

Many brick and mortar businesses had to shift online. Not because they preferred it, but because that is the new norm. If you want to know more on how to focus on employee strengths, check it out on Entrepreneur.

What does that mean? Well, it means keep customers coming back. That could mean deeper discounts. Promote online sales. Use more e-mail. Since customers could be glued to their e-mail inbox, this has a greater chance to catch their attention. And draw them away from the current fear and uncertainty that clouds the world. 

Customers will thank you for sending high-value articles––especially ones related to staying safe in this coronavirus crisis. Even if you write on a topic, which is not your primary business, it shows you care. 

That empathy sticks. The more it sticks, the more your customers will remember you in good times. 

If you want to learn about the new rules of customer loyalty, check it out on Inc magazine.

You know how our instincts treat us in uncertainty. We all want to cut costs so we save for a rainy day ahead. Even if it sounds prudent in the short run, it might short-circuit your business growth. Think long-term. 

Ask: What’s going to happen when the economy forges back to normal? 

Sow the seeds so you can reap the harvest. The more you have pent up demand the more the opportunity to make up for loss. Create new service offers. Package them differently. Work with your business coach. Find new customer streams. As you do, you will discover new revenue streams.

All of these steps will help you ride out the storm. Isn’t that what every business owner wants now? 

Written by Suresh Iyengar, P.E., President, Business Unit Execution LLC––if you ever wanted to get ahead in starting your business, running your business or growing your business without spending thousands of dollars on a business consultant in Houston, set up your FREE Explosive Business Results phone call. CLICK HERE.

             What does it mean when you say you are a Business Unit Manager (business unit manager)? Well, it means you have responsibility for a Business Unit. Then you might ask, “What is a business unit”. 

             A business unit is a profit center, which focuses on offering goods in a given market. Business units have a separate marketing plan, strategy, sales plan, project management office, R&D, quality, business culture, operations and a competitive landscape, even though they may be part of a larger business entity.

             Where do business unit managers come from? Many come from sales, marketing, finance or other leadership backgrounds. However, project managers are equally suited to hold this position in a company. 

             Since business unit managers could exist in different industries, it is quite difficult to pick just 10 from LinkedIn. However, we have to start somewhere. If you believe that you ought to be on this list, please write to us and we will certainly consider you for our next article.

             One of the keys in becoming a business unit manager is to be suitably trained. What that means is to have sufficient skills and competencies in any of the areas such as marketing, sales, finance or project management. This leaves a gap in the industry today. We don’t have many leaders who could claim to have done all of the above.

             That is why we have started a program: Certified Business Unit Manager™ to fill this gap in the industry. We would enthusiastically like to present Certified Business Unit Managers at the top of our list. And we’d encourage more and more of you to dream big and join this program. It is not an entitlement but a leadership initiative. 

             And don’t forget to share this with your friends. Let’s go.

Sridhar Parameswaran

Sridhar Parameswaran earned his Certified Business Unit Manager from Business Unit Execution in December 2012. Sridhar brings about twenty-five years of experience in the industry. He has worked in telecommunications, software, manufacturing and others. He has also held a role as Director of Professional Development. 

Somesh Chablani

Somesh Chablani earned his Certified Business Unit Manager from Business Unit Execution in May 2019. As a senior executive and a sales leader, Somesh has over twenty-five years of experience in the industry. He has been instrumental in customer service, sales leadership and business development. 

Quinn Tolbert

As a Business Unit Manager, Quinn Tolbert focuses on providing building owners with traditional and performance-based turnkey facility renovations, improvement projects and consulting services. These services lead to optimizing comfort, increasing operational efficiency and reducing the cost of energy, water and other natural resources. 

Adrian Martinez Martinez

With more than 13 years experience, Adrian Martinez contributes to the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical industry. He has worked in Sales, Project Management, Business Development, Corporate Strategy, Project and Process Engineering.

Steven Gregson

As a Business Unit Manager, Steven Gregson adds to the history of working in the Oil and Energy industry. His skills include Operations Management, Supply Chain Optimization, Demand Planning, E-commerce and Pricing Strategy.

Peteris Spels

Peteris Spels is a Business Unit Manager at Eurofins. In his role, he brings business development and sales experience combined with technical skills. As an entrepreneur, he builds and leads new initiatives in product development and other fields.

Charles Geisbert

As a Business Unit Manager, Charles Geisbert is a P&L Leader for Eaton's satellite manufacturing organization producing panel boards, switchboards and enclosed circuit breakers. Charles has held other roles in Medium Voltage Control and Drives, Engineering Services and Team Leadership.

Russ Brune

As a Business Unit Manager, Russ Brune adds experience in sales, marketing, business development, and strategic planning in technology-intensive environments. His specialties include VOC, customer segmentation, integrating acquired companies, due diligence, market research, Six Sigma, equipment finance and leasing 

Olin Brundy

With a leadership role as Business Unit General Manager, Olin Bundy ensures effective execution of all activities for the Controls, Power Inverter and Soft Start Business segments. He has full P&L responsibility.

Chris Brewster

As a Business Unit Manager, Chris Brewster drives results through his strong background in technical sales, sales management and business development. His current role ensures oversight for profit and loss, revenue, new business, new product development and productivity. 

Let me know your thoughts in the box below. I’m excited to see how I can help you.

Written by Suresh Iyengar, P.E., President, Business Unit Execution LLC––if you ever wanted to get ahead in starting your business, running your business or growing your business without spending thousands of dollars on a business consultant in Houston, set up your FREE Explosive Business Results phone call. CLICK HERE.

“No mistakes. No learning” – Anonymous.

       If you want to be a thriving business, you are going to want to get as good as you can in offering your goods and services. Do it before you enroll clients. That means mastering everything you can about growing your business. That means developing a plan for helping clients. That means being able to bounce back when you fall. That also means making business mistakes. 

        Making business mistakes is a growing part of any effort. And while you can’t avoid all business mistakes, there are four that you should avoid as a growing business, because it could pummel your business. 

That could happen before the storm arrives. Take cover now.

       People that ‘do it all’ actually do little. If you are in marketing, in sales, in operations, in serving customers and a wife and mother (or husband and father) you are going to find that all of your efforts will suffer. Why? It’s because you are trying to do way too much. 

Just focus on a few important items. Separate the urgent ones. Do them well. 

You will grow your business.

       Sadly, one of the other major issues that plague businesses is a terrible website. Many business owners want to make their own website. They somehow believe they will save money. Your sister-in-law or college-going lad could patch a website together. But what are you going to get? Poor response. More delay. And on top of that you are going to end with an amateur-looking site. 

       Your website is going to drive away your visitors.  That’s not what you want, is it? 

Make sure that you spend time and money making your website sparkle. It is your face you are going to show to the world. You want to look good, don’t you?

      Most people start their businesses and have no time to work on their internal procedures. They work spending all their time on tactical sales. Then they wonder why they can’t grow their business. That does not mean that sales isn’t important – it surely is – but you want to spend just the right time in sales to get you going and invest in building repeatable methods to grow your business. 

Hire the right team. Delegate. Build work manuals. Have a strategic plan. That will help you grow faster than just focusing on sales without a vision. 

Sales without vision is a car without an engine. You can only go so far.

       Finally, many business owners go into the business without any nest egg. You need that to build your business. That’s the fuel that ignites your business. You’ll want some money. You are going to want to invest it right back into your business because money makes money. 

You’re going to want to save a little to grow your business as well as money you save to have a lifestyle. After all, you can’t run your business forever, right? 

Want even faster results? Are you ready to discover how? Schedule your Explosive Business Results session now.

Written by Suresh Iyengar, P.E., President, Business Unit Execution LLC––if you ever wanted to get ahead in starting your business, running your business or growing your business without spending thousands of dollars on a business consultant in Houston, set up your FREE Explosive Business Results phone call. CLICK HERE.

“Synergy is better than my way or your way. It's our way” – Stephen Covey.

       Synergy is about creating a bigger sum from joining smaller parts. Obviously, it plays a big role in business. And a company’s vision and mission depend on it.

       As a Profitability Coach, I ask business owners, “Can you achieve your goals with no synergy in your business? That probably wouldn’t happen, would it? Most businesses realize it. Eventually, you know it is all about doing the right things right.

       Scores of examples show how businesses failed. Daimler and Chrysler is one such example of a merger. Culture clashes thwarted synergy between the two. The merger fell apart. And experts labeled it a “big failure”. Why? Simple. No synergy.

       Synergy is not just an issue companies face when they merge with other companies. Even if you are an owner of a small business you need synergy. You need it in strategic planning for small business. People in your team need to pull forward together. Without this binding force, you will lose momentum in your business.

       A mission statement is all about having a core purpose. It answers these questions:

• Why the company is doing what it is doing
• Why employees believe in passionately doing what customers need
• Why customers would look for us when we aren’t around
• What is the bigger reason our company exists

       Have you ever seen success when different units of the same business move in opposite directions? It just doesn’t happen. Most businesses suffer from exactly this issue. And many don’t see it until it’s too late.

       Make your employees realize the purpose of your company. Display it in a common place. Offer them a performance incentive plan. Such steps make people treat the business as their own. And you’ll find a great way to motivate them in carrying out the company’s mission. 

       Core values are “must do” and “must never do” items. Define them in a way that it becomes a default standard. If an ethical issue stymies you, well-defined core values would clarify what you should do. 

       Core values could change in time. Once they solidify, they will act as a manual directing anyone.

      Targets are goals that affect your company in the next 3 to 5 years. Most people know that leaders in companies influence them. They exist as long as the leader exists. 

       If your company doesn’t need new goals, that’s okay. Your leader may decide to refocus people using existing goals. It may bring fewer goals and greater clarity. Such steps could produce unprecedented results when people dive down like an eagle from the sky. That’s the focus it will bring to your company.

       If you know what your main priority is, you will get there. For example, if you have to install 15 doors each week in your door business and that’s your main task, people will achieve it. Make it clear to them in your Strategic Plan.

       Even if you have yearly goals, it makes sense to have 90-day goals. It’s one key performance measure that aligns with the company objectives. 

       Use 2 or 3 priorities to support this measure. It’s important that your full team is onboard. That’ll make it easy for them to achieve this single goal.

        Each week, hold a meeting. Go over actions that will lead to results. Get a handle on risks. Such meetings produce rhythm and routine. Such routines when joined with goals produce effective results.             

        However, assign only one owner for each action. Keep the meeting at an hour, max. That’s when you can get the right results.

         Hold daily meetings for no more than 10 minutes. Get the top issues to track progress. Discuss the blocks to carrying out your plan. Such meetings track your derails. They spot new opportunities that elude bigger meetings. They save time from emails. They help you get over interruptions. 

         So make use of the opportunities to avoid hassles, save time and reach goals.

         You might not notice but the most important of all meetings is this daily meeting. It sets the tone for your weekly meetings.

          That’s it. Now you have the blueprint. Build your strategic plan. Strategic planning for small business can save you years of hassles if you start believing in “our way”.

Want even faster results? Are you ready to discover how? Schedule your Explosive Business Results session now.

Written by Suresh Iyengar, P.E., President, Business Unit Execution LLC––if you ever wanted to get ahead in starting your business, running your business or growing your business without spending thousands of dollars on a business consultant in Houston, set up your FREE Explosive Business Results phone call. CLICK HERE.