Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Hi there everyone.  I've been trying to find a forum that I could share some thoughts and maybe get some feedback.  This seems like a great forum and I hope I'm able to contribute in addition to the feedback I'm hoping to get.

A little about me.  I started my business over 4 years ago and have done quite well.  The problem I'm running into these days is that I feel like I'm hitting a road block.  My business WANTS to grow but I'm so involved with every aspect of the business that I'm not even sure on how to break free of it.

I almost attribute it to "Writers Block".  I'm stuck trying to figure out how to "work on my business".  I know I need to do something fast as I've lost staff because of the way things are running and where I once felt I ran a small "professional" business, I don't feel that way any more.

I really need to polish our business process, solidify our product/service set and give more meaning to this business.  Right now, it is all over the place.  I am really really disorganized.

Has anybody ever run into a similar situation?  Any thoughts?

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That sounds like quite the conundrum. 

You mention having hit a roadblock; do you mean to say you are bored, or that your enthusiasm has waned and if so, you might ask yourself why?

Furthermore, you mentioned the business has potential to grow, but because it is not growing, you have staff leaving. This in my eyes indicates a red flag. If your staff is leaving due to lack of growth, how much opportunity is drifting by the wayside? Did they give any indication as to how they felt the business could grow?

Personally, I have never owned a business, but I have worked for both small and large business. Often I have seen great opportunities missed or pushed to the side because a company owner is unwilling to share the “glory” for having come up with a brilliant idea. Unfortunately, these company owners lost out entirely because they could not keep their egos out of the situation.

I am not saying any of these opinions capture your personality type (I can’t and wont make those kind of assumptions because I don’t personally know you), but I am hoping to give you some feedback that might possibly touch on subjects you had not considered.

I hope this helps and I wish you luck…

Ashley

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Hey Ashley, thanks for the reply.

I think you did misunderstand what I was getting at! :)  Employees don't see a problem with the company growing, in fact far from it.  The problem is that IT IS growing but when I say roadblock, it means that I am slowing the growth myself because I'm in the way.  I'm doing too much and not delegating enough.

And it was never anything about enthusiasm or boredom (not sure how that came out, but that's OK) it's just I'm struggling to let go of control.

I may be in the wrong forum but I'm hoping to hear from others who are starting up on how they overcame the world of delegation and letting us do their jobs really.

 

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I thought that you had lost employees because “[you] know [you] need to do something fast as [you’ve] lost staff because of the way things are running”. I apologize but I did assume the staff were leaving because the business has potential to grow “but [you’re] so involved with every aspect of the business that [you’re] not even sure on how to break free of it”. In the second post, you mentioned “doing too much and not delegating enough”.

 

As for lack of enthusiasm and boredom – bottom line, you are slowing the growth because you are not delegating, and you need to ask yourself why. You do not have to tell me but you seriously need to ask yourself this question because you may have a great opportunity in front of you.

This may not be what it takes for you, but recognizing the valuable information my team (I am an event coordinator / manager) had to offer when everyone participated in a process, was a huge asset. Not to mention my life simply became less complicated and a whole lot less stressful. You recognize the reason behind delegation and potential growth, but you cannot relinquish control. I do not intend to offend you, but I misunderstand why you will not delegate; begin by handing off the simplest task and work your way up slowly to a level that allows for growth.

 

Fortunately, you see the problem:

 

·      “My business WANTS to grow but I'm so involved with every aspect of the business that I'm not even sure on how to break free of it.”

·      “The problem is that IT IS growing but when I say roadblock, it means that I am slowing the growth myself because I'm in the way.”  

 

And possibly the solution…

 

·      “I'm doing too much and not delegating enough.”

 

In addition…

 

·      I almost attribute it to "Writers Block".  I'm stuck trying to figure out how to "work on my business".  I know I need to do something fast as I've lost staff because of the way things are running and where I once felt I ran a small "professional" business, I don't feel that way any more.”

 

Again, I hope that you find my suggestions helpful, but I could have it all wrong so if I do, disregard.

 

I agree, it would be nice if someone else weighed in too J

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