How Do You Know All This Stuff?

It isn't easy being your own boss.  Most of us would have it no other way, but that doesn't mean it is always wonderful.  Small business owners usually work long hours, take few or no vacations, sacrifice important parts of their life and have little financial gain to show for it.  Of course there are exceptions, but the majority of small business owners fit that description.  I'll bet you thought it would turn out different for you, didn't you?

So what's missing?  How do you figure out all the stuff you need to know to be successful when you barely have time to eat lunch much less work on improving parts of the business?  You have deadlines to meet, deliveries to make, bids to get out, phone calls to return, and bookwork to maintain.  How are you supposed to improve your marketing plan, hire and train better employees, cultivate a new customer, pay off debt, and become more efficient?  And how do you know how to do all that stuff anyway?

Ah, now there's an interesting question!  How do you know how to do this stuff?  I'm talking about the stuff that will make your business better.  The stuff that will make you better.  I'll bet you didn't learn it in school.  You probably didn't have anyone to tell you about it before you went into business for yourself.  You might even think these "business improvement strategies" are a myth anyway.  Take Time Management, for example.  Does anyone really "manage" time?  It may seem like you simply run out of it, or that time manages you, right?  How do you do this stuff??!!??

There is no question that small business is complex, and becoming more so all the time.  So how do you learn how to do this better?  You can take classes, but that not only takes time, it risks being too unfocused to help you in your unique business.  You can hire an experienced manager or technician for some parts of the puzzle, but that adds a big layer of overhead you may not be able to afford.

This is where coaching comes in.  A good business coach can help you learn this stuff while you make improvements in your business (even managing to find the time to do it).  The improvements can help cover the investment in the coach.  The coaching will be focused on you and your unique business.  Eventually, you can end or suspend the relationship once you've learned the things you need to know.  (Of course, if the relationship works you may want to maintain the relationship for a long time!)  But the point is, consider getting a coach!  Successful athletes, movie stars, singers, business professionals and others have coaches because they make them better.  Why not you?