Creating the environment you need to be a better business owner—to do the work that matters most to your business—takes structure. You need to structure your communication system, workspace and calendar in a way that lets you escape the tactical work that gets in the way of being a true Entrepreneur. And once you’...
There are an awful lot of people out there today calling themselves business coaches. And when many of them don't have any real professional accreditations or associations, it’s hard to know who to trust—not simply when it comes to their methodology or the quality of their training, but also in terms of their appr...
Here we are at the beginning of a new year (and a new decade!)—an incredible moment that offers the opportunity to metaphorically wipe the slate clean and start fresh. And what if you really could start fresh, start anew? What if this were the year you could achieve the dream we know so many business owners have, ...
I recently heard an incredible statistic about how working less boosts productivity. It came from a study done this year at Microsoft Japan, where for the entire month of August, employees worked four (as opposed to five) days a week. It caught my attention because Japanese work culture is notorious for grueling h...
As the owner and leader of your business, you may find yourself facing the year-end with a mixture of thoughts and feelings: excitement, hope, joy—and maybe some disappointment.
“I’m overwhelmed.” It’s a phrase we hear often and from everyone, from parents to business owners. There’s always so much to do, so many details to track and deadlines to manage. Nobody wants to feel overwhelmed—but in today's busy world, what can you do about it?
The key to transforming your business is accountability. So tell us—what’s your business resolution for the year ahead?
So, you’ve noticed a lack of clarity and consistency in how projects are managed in your business and taken the essential step of implementing a project management system. Congratulations! Project management systems—and the tools used to execute them—are crucial to ensuring every project you take on in your busine...
If you’re like every owner I’ve worked with over the years, you left a job and started your own business spurred by the dream of what that business—and your life—could look like. It’s what inspired you to choose the entrepreneurial path and what motivated you to persevere when it got really hard. But after some ti...
In this final article on systems development, I want to address the question we get most from our clients when it comes to building systems in their business: where do I begin? In this article, I’ll provide a blueprint for the most important, foundational systems in your business—and the ideal order in which to bu...
Last week I covered how an operations manual can save your business (and your life), much like the operations manual on Apollo 13 saved Jim Lovell’s life. This week, I want to take you on a journey into systems strategy: Reality dictates you will be building systems while working in your existing business. We call...
During the last long-haul flight I was on, I re-watched Apollo 13 (the one with Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell). Perhaps not the best choice as I was hurtling through the sky at 500 mph in a tin-can myself, but there’s something to be said for the thrill. If you haven’t seen the film, it's based on real-life events and i...
This week, I want to share a concept that will help you turn your current business frustrations into operational systems. It’s one small step for you and your team—but it will be one giant leap for your business. There were some days as a business owner when I felt completely consumed by my business. The only thin...