Do you ever feel like you're drowning in day-to-day tasks, leaving no time to focus on the big picture? You're not alone. Many business owners get stuck working IN their business instead of ONÂ it, hindering long-term success.
Every minute spent on tasks that could be delegated is a minute not spent planning, strategizing, and building the best business possible.
The Business Owner's Dilemma: Doing vs. Delegating
As an entrepreneur, I've fallen into the trap of doing instead of delegating. It's easy to slip back into micromanaging because, at one point, I had to do it all. But that mindset no longer serves a growing business.
Reflecting on my business journey, I realized that I wore every hat: technician, manager, and leader. I sold, produced, and delivered. As my team grew, I shifted into leadership – focusing on spotting problems, delegating solutions, and thinking ahead. However, staff changes pulled me back into day-to-day management, signaling the need to refocus on my strengths and hire for my weaknesses.
Building Systems: The Key to Sustainable Growth
In today's labor market, finding the right employees is challenging. A powerful insight from The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber resonates with me: "If you understand the technical work of a business, you understand a business that does that technical work."
The key takeaway? Build a business that runs effectively without being dependent on you or any single "unicorn" hire. Instead of searching for the perfect superstar who checks every box, focus on creating a system that allows talented people to succeed and deliver extraordinary results.
Case Study: Tureks Plumbing Services - "From Good to Great"
A prime example of this approach is Tureks Plumbing Services. From our first meeting it was clear that owner Ed Turek was running a solid business.
He was innovative in his industry and knew how to market the company's services to differentiate Tureks Plumbing from competitors.
So...why did Ed call Journey Consulting?
When Ed partnered with Journey Consulting, he faced several challenges:
The business value was not where Ed needed it to be to retire.
Ed was overly involved due to few replicable processes, procedures, and systems.
There was no leadership team to help drive results and make decisions.
No strategy was in place to scale the business and free Ed up to work on the business.
Through strategic planning, process development, and team empowerment, Tureks Plumbing achieved remarkable results:
45% Revenue Growth
47.5% Increase in Gross Profit
EBITDA Multiple Grew 2.8X
178% Increase in Business Value
Four years into his engagement with Journey Consulting, Ed is removed from daily operations and has the freedom to focus his energy where it brings the most value. Ed is confident, knowing he's built a value-based, transferable business that will ensure he has options when he's ready to exit.
Now that's going from good to GREAT!
Read the full Tureks Case Study
Empowering Your Team Through Effective Systems
To produce consistent results, every business needs a system – one that bridges the gap between the skills your team has and the skills your business requires. Systems become the tools that increase productivity, ensuring tasks get done the right way, every time.
As a business owner, it's your responsibility to develop these tools and train your people to use them effectively.
Relying on a superstar hire to drive success is risky. Instead, ask yourself: How can I build a system that produces extraordinary results without relying on extraordinary people?
By leveraging ordinary people within a well-designed framework, you can achieve repeatable success—without waiting for that elusive unicorn to show up.
Leading Your Business: The Path to Scalable Growth
If you're too busy working in your business, you're not leading it. When poor systems keep you stuck in the details, you lose the ability to drive real growth.
Where can you start? Identify just one task to delegate or one system to refine. Small steps can lead to significant shifts and help you focus on what truly matters: leading and growing your business.
Feeling stuck in the day-to-day of your business? Let’s change that.
Schedule a consultation with Journey Consulting to build systems that free you up to lead and grow.
Jayne McQuillan, CPA, MBA, Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) is the owner of Journey Consulting, LLC and author of The Value Journey: How to Drive Profits, Build Wealth, and Exit Your Business on Your Own Terms.
Our firm is focused on providing business owners and their businesses with strategic planning, exit planning, financial expertise, and organizational improvement. We use a holistic approach within all of our services by aligning leadership with business strategy and outcomes.Â