My first ever hurricane (and I have no interest in doing that again)!
I live in Canada where we enthusiastically complain about the snow!
On September 23, 2020 I was woke to hear a deafening roar!
It sounded like freight train was headed for my house!
Without exaggeration there was about 20 minutes where I thought I was going to die.
I was truly annoyed… “Well, damn, this is it!”
And I was just getting started…
Anyhow, we all survived it…no one got hurt…
The damage is unbelievable though.
Here is a picture of the school on my street..
But here’s what I learned about my small business.
Life Has Interruptions
When my business was new I was shocked at how quickly it became all-consuming. I realized one day that anything that wasn’t business was an interruption to business. But in the initial months, (which turned into years) I thought this is what you do to get your business off the ground.
I had seen all those stories online about grinding it out and thought this was the journey of an entrepreneur.
But what I’ve learned a few times now is that life has interruptions. And so therefore you need a business that support your life instead of consuming it! Everything can’t be about business all the time. You need a business that can withstand interruptions
Otherwise, the first time that there is a hiccup in your life it’s a great cost your business. And if that’s the case, then do you really have a business. I would argue that you’re self-employed and you are a sufferpreneur!
It’s important you change your entrepreneur mindset about how your business fits into your life. As frankly, it’s too late when life throws you a curve ball.
Systems and Processes: And Brain Power
Throughout this hurricane ordeal, I have been reminded at the power of systems and processes.
The lessons here have been plenty.
I was pulled away from my work because I did not have electricity. Eventually, I relocated but I could have lost weeks of work without our systems and processes.
The systems and processes allowed everyone to proceed without interruption. We had a framework that they could easily follow and transfer responsibility to other people on the team.
Dealing with all the chaos of not have electricity and water and eventually relocating until that was resolved… leaves the brain a little bit worn out.
So again it was helpful that I wasn’t relying on a to-do list or my memory.
If you worked with me even one day you will hear me say businesses are not running memory. And situations like that are a good reminder
In the fall out of all this I was actually able to lean into my work without distraction once I relocated. Because the systems and processes, are super tool kits provided me with clarity and guidance that requires very little brain power
Systems and Processes: Got Me Real Power
On a higher level I was able to see the magic systems and processes through our electrical company.
Given that there’s never been a storm like this in Canada it was outside the capabilities of our local electric company. Teams from across Canada came to help out.
Despite the magnitude it went rather smoothly. Our electric company was able to easily transfer responsibilities to the teams as they arrived. This meant we got our power back MUCH sooner!
This expedited everyone is results I made it much easier for everyone involved
The Benefits of Outsourcing
I would argue without a team that you really don’t have a business. You are just pushing a rock uphill yourself and the moment you stopped pushing that rock that moment the work slows down.
When I started outsourcing and building my team that’s when everything changed for me. That’s how I went from working 16 hours a day down to 6. Now that didn’t happen overnight and I had a lot to learn about building a team versus just hiring a virtual assistant
Having a team is not about working with a large group. It’s about a philosophy and mindset that we work really hard at win the hour win the day. You can have an amazing team of one or two people and get unbelievable results.
Outsourcing Filipino virtual assistance are very affordable. They are so much more than data entry and social media. You can outsource administrative tasks, even project management when you hiring a VA.
The benefits of outsourcing for small business are huge. It saves you money, and time while you outsource admin work.
Virtual assistant outsourcing is the game changer for any successful small business. Business owners have options they never had in previous years. The benefits of outsourcing virtual assistants is what allows small business owners to scale.
Want to know how to get more done in less time!!
Take our “Get Stuff Done” quiz!!
Find out your score now!!!
Do you know if your business is running as efficiently as it could be?
Take our Win Time Back quiz
