I know that sounds obvious, but how often have you found yourself trying to get EVERYTHING done RIGHT NOW?
Did you know that you can actually create a much happier, more profitable and smooth-running business if you embrace this mantra? That not only does it not have to be done right now, it really shouldn’t be done right now.
What do I mean by that?
Well, operating a solo business is a bit trickier than running other business models. People who go into solo practice or self-employment aren’t interested in managing people or teams, and they have no desire for the kind demands that a larger business would entail. They like being the technician slash business owner, and find enjoyment, purpose and meaning in their work.
But, they also have to be more conscious of their business processes, and how their resources are expended. One of the things that becomes really important in a solo business is having the "space" to think and move and produce quality work in a professional manner.
If you continually operate with clients in RIGHT NOW mode, you inadvertently give away control over your space. Pretty quickly, clients get used to the "instant assistance" and begin to expect it, all the time, every time. They forget that you have other people to serve besides them. Eventually, you realize you can’t keep up that kind of pace, not without sacrificing your standards, sanity and quality of work and service.
This advice is summed up very neatly by my online buddy and branding expert, Rob Frankel:
"… being too responsive can kill you, because the client begins to expect you to react instantly, even to issues which require more time."
See how that can create unreasonable expectations in clients, the kind you can’t afford to have in your business?
The solution is to examine your work processes, and formalize policies and standards in this area that give you the "space" you simply must have in your solo business to maintain quality and not hit the brick wall of burn-out.
Here are some questions to get your thinking started:
How much space do you need to give yourself comfortable breathing room to do the work while at the same time delivering to clients within a reasonable, professional timeframe? How many days would that be? Next day? Two days? Three days? More?
What days/hours of official operation do you want clients to be observant of? Mind you, that doesn’t mean you still can’t work any ol’ dang time you please, but you don’t want clients calling and bugging you at all hours of the day and night–that’s a surefire recipe for stepped-over boundaries and subsequent resentment. It’s okay to have parameters–you’re a business and it’s healthy for everyone.
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