Ready to improve your business but unsure where to start? I have a recommendation: tackle your problems first (and be honest about what it will take to fix them).

I know this may seem counterintuitive. Business blogs and articles often emphasize tools and tactics to grow and enhance operations or profitability. However, in my experience, unless you address the “messes,” you’re spending time and money in the wrong place.

Problems Slow You Down

As your business grows, so will your messes if you don’t fix them. When that happens, you’ll be swamped with new work but unable to do a good job since ad hoc fixes and systems won’t suffice.

Here are some examples of messes that escalate as your business grows:

Your Email Inbox

If you’re struggling to keep up with your inbox now, imagine the chaos when your business doubles or triples in size. The volume of email will increase proportionally.

Solution: Take the time now to establish a system to manage your inbox effectively.

Your Contact List

Business cards, Gmail contacts, business email addresses, LinkedIn, and Facebook contacts can be overwhelming. Currently, you might remember where to find a contact, but as you grow and add more information, it will become unmanageable.

Solution: Consolidate all your contacts in one place. Choose a CRM and add everyone. Create a system to keep it updated.

Your Finances

Knowing whether you’re making money is crucial. When starting out, you might have more time than money and not be too concerned about profitability.

Solution: As you get busier, ensure you’re not losing money on your efforts. Either take the time to figure this out or hire a capable financial resource to sort it out for you.

💡 TAKE ACTION!

Messes are as unique as the people who create them, but they’re all fixable. Make a list of your messes and prioritize them based on the time and money they waste and how much they hold you back. You should also check out my article, “How to Master Organization for Business Growth”, for organizational strategies to help your business thrive.

Then, either hire someone to help you handle them or create a list of actionable steps to get them under control. Eliminate them one by one to become more efficient, work less, and make more money.