Whether you are just starting out or have been in business for a year or two it is important to look to the future, imagine what your business will look like in a few years. Will it have grown, have added products and services? 

There are a lot of opportunities for you to prepare your business today to meet future growth. 

1. Educate yourself - Whether you are a service or product based business, now is the time to begin learning more about how to operate your business, and new innovations in your product or service line. Adding skills to your personal business inventory will prepare you to grow your business. Consider other areas of your business such as accounting practices, supervision/management, marketing, or learning new skills to make you more productive and efficient. 

2. Look for opportunities to upgrade - Do you have a production machine that is nearing it's productive life cycle, or have business technologies that are nearing the time for replacement? Consider an upgrade that will help you improve your business rather than replacing with the same equipment/technology. Having the infrastructure already in place will help you meet business growth with little effort. 

3. Build capital - When you start seeing profits, put some away for a rainy day and for when you are ready to expand your business. We call these funds our "Fall Back, Fall Forward" money. Having the necessary capital without having to borrow is a safer, not to mention a less stressful way to invest in your business. Building capital, business savings, will help you in so many ways. Also, investing in your business before you grow can provide some interesting economics for your business. Consider taking on new product lines without having a large upfront investment because you already prepared for it. 

4. Be mindful of "pop-up" opportunities - Depending on your business, there may be opportunities that just materialize. Maybe a competing consulting service is going out of business, or a local retail competitor. This may the opportunity your business needs to grow. Some call it environmental scanning. Take a few hours to scan your business environment to identify opportunities, and of course risks so you can plan accordingly. You might be able to take on clients from failed or closing businesses, or buy up supplies from a competitor to help you grow your product line. 

Overall, practice, "Think Now for Tomorrow" - As you navigate the business world, thinking about what you are doing today, as compared to what you will need to do tomorrow, will allow you to make strategic planning decisions. 

For example: One of our clients who had been in business for about a year ask us to review their existing technology and business infrastructure to determine what it would look like when their business expanded. We provided a picture of what it would look like. As service contracts expired, they upgraded, they invested more in their marketing, and technology. We assisted in developing company policies, mapping key processes, employee training programs, and procedures that would accommodate growth. Eighteen months later their business did grow exponentially and they were prepared. One employee that had been with the company since the beginning commented, "It's really hard to remember what it was like the first year we started because we always new it would be like it is today."

We think the key to their growth was their vision that they would in fact grow their business even when they were small. They never considered they would not. Keeping your vision on the future while keeping an eye on what you can do today to prepare is a great way to grow. 

You have decided that you are going to start your own small business. It's an exciting time and there is a lot to do. One of the critical "To-Do's" that should be on your list is your website and office technology needs. Why?

First, understand that your website is only a small part of your company's technology needs. Your email addresses, color schemes, logo and back office functions are interconnected to your company's web page. The minute you decide you are going to launch your own business is the day you need to begin creating and implementing your company technology needs.

​Must haves from day one: 

• Company email addresses - email addresses that use the company email web address are a must (ex. Jane@mybusiness.com) It looks professional, and will help you keep all of your company communications organized. No switching between email accounts. Also, consider that it is difficult for many people to switch to a new email address. Email programs remember the last used email address and will often revert to the one you used. 
• Office functions - having your email, document storage, forms, and other functions that use technology need to be in place as you begin your business. This keeps your organized as well as motivated!
• Branding - critical to any business is branding. Branding let's your customers know they are doing business with you. Pick your color schemes, design your logo as soon as possible in the start-up process and begin using them right away. This starts the process of building brand recognition among your customers and others you will do business with. 

Second, avoid these: 

• "Under Construction" - Nothing more disappointing than completing a web search only to find an empty web page. Cute graphics saying your business is coming soon are no consolation.  You know what your business is, and going to be, say it through a company website. You can withhold payment and ordering methods while you get your business started. Having your web site in place with as much information as possible also helps the search engines to begin learning about your business, making searching easier for customers in the future. Work with your technology provider to hold specific pages not ready for customer viewing until you launch the business. 
• "Free websites" - Avoid creating a website using free website construction options that are branded with their logo. These may signal to customers that you are not serious about your business. Start with a clean, professional website. It is the window in to your business and many of your customers will visit your site prior to coming in or giving you a call. 
• Inconsistency - We always talk about how important consistency is in many areas of operating a small business. It's important as your customers want a positive, and consistent experience. So begin early in the business development phase with your company messaging, branding, and reflect it all in your website, email addresses, and company communications. 

Again, think of your company website as only one small part of your business technology. It should tie in to your email, forms, and other communications related to your business. Starting it early in the business development and launch process will pay you dividends in the long run. Profit in your pocket!!!

Outsourcing functions to operate your small business makes sense in some cases. As a small business owner, it is often difficult to let go of specific tasks, the thought of paying someone else to do something you feel you can do. Here are a few ideas to consider when trying to determine if outsourcing makes sense: 

• Lack of expertise in a specific knowledge area - One of our colleagues is a great graphic artist, creativity is her specialty. Unfortunately, and she admits to it, balancing her accounts is not something she enjoys, nor fully understands adequately. If you lack expertise in a specific area you will probably find yourself spending an inordinate amount of time working on that task which costs you money and worse, you are more prone to errors. 
• Cost effectiveness - We often think that doing something ourselves saves money. Not always true. One business owner had her employees assembling product packages. Something the manufacturer would do for an added cost. Her thinking? "I don't pay for it if we do it." When considering the cost per hour for employees and then compared to the added cost from the manufacturer, it was cheaper to pre-order product packages ready to go. 
• Improve your business operations - Not all outsourcing ideas will save money. They can greatly improve your business operations that make owning and operating a business much easier for you and your employees. Consider the time savings, and how obtaining expertise in a specific area can help grow your business. Consider it an investment, rather than a cost savings. 

These two ideas to consider make great business sense. Often small business owners continue to complete the work themselves. Here are some areas to consider for outsourcing: 

1. Accounting - Tax laws are complicated, ever changing. Hiring a competent accountant will help you with the daily financial operations, ensuring you maximize your tax filings, and will save you money. 
2. Virtual administrative assistants - Virtual assistants are a great benefit to consultants and businesses with only one or two employees. Chances are you don't need full-time assistance and with the various options available for virtual assistants you can pay for what time you need or use. Having someone answer your phone while you are at an appointment, making travel arrangements, and confirming appointments will also make your life much easier, allowing you time to focus on the work. 
3. Web and IT Services - Maintaining a web site to support your business can be challenging if you are not familiar with technology. Using "templated" websites, or "free websites" can negatively impact your business's reputation. Having someone to monitor your website, ensure it has a clean professional look, and they update it regularly will help keep your business looking fresh, active, and successful. There are services available for less than $25 a month.
4. Using cloud based services - Using cloud based services for email, business office functions is a passive way to outsource. Purchasing software products off the shelf may not always be the best option. Consider cloud based products to allow you anytime, anywhere access. Services such a G Suite is like having an IT professional on staff that is protecting your data, ensuring your software is always up-to-date and working properly. 

Outsourcing can make a lot of business sense to improve your business in several areas. Outsourcing will help you grow your business, increase customer satisfaction and provide you with time to focus on aspects of the business that are important to you. 

Only a few days before the new year is here!!!! Following are a few ideas, tips to help you prep for 2019: 

Get Organized:

• Create New "Paperwork" Folders - Whether creating folders for hard copies, and/or folders on your computer, create your 2019 folders to start the new year. Identify general categories such as; Finances; Advertising; New Products/Services; etc. Creating these folders will keep you organized in the new year. 
• Holiday Clean-Up - Schedule a few minutes each day to file documents, emails, and complete other tasks to clean up your desk and your desktop. Workspaces are another area to focus on. Organizing equipment, tools, and supplies will reduce the time required to complete tasks in the new year.

Create a schedule:

• Say no to procrastination - There's a lot to do, but putting off even the simplest of tasks only creates more work in the new year. Get those 2018 receipts together, clean up workspaces and prepare for the new year. Encourage employees to do the same so everyone can return from the holidays with a renewed energy. 
• Set deadlines to complete year end work - Setting a deadline to complete your year end tasks will keep you motivated to complete the work. Setting the deadline before the holidays will ease your stress when at home with friends and family during the holiday season. 

Prep for a fresh start for the New Year:

• Inventory your supplies, materials and products - Completing an inventory will help you with your taxes and create a new year inventory from which to start the new year. (Hint: You may find some great deals on supplies during the holiday season to stock up for the new year)
• Make strategic purchases - Retailers often offer great deals during the holiday season. Review your technology needs and look for opportunities to replace aging computers, and equipment. Check with your tax advisor to see if making investments will help with your taxes. 
• Review your strategic plan - The end of the year is a great time to review your  business strategy. Identify what is working, and what is not working to help you grow your business and your bottom line. Review successes from the year and recognize your accomplishments and those of your employees.

Happy Holidays!!!!!