Hello, Steppers!

Today: How to effectively replace yourself (read: have more free time to work ON your business instead of IN your business)… and a chance for YOU to win $101 in the next 30 day, $1,000 challenge.

First off, a quick apology: in my last post here “The Most Awesome Paradox… Doing LESS Can Accomplish MORE” I said to watch this space because  I was going to re-introduce efficient business systems to my three businesses, and keep you up to date, week by week.

BUT THEN..!

Ana Hoffman asked me… nicely… to guest post on her site.  (gulp) I said “YES, ma’am.”

I got asked by Ana Hoffman, the undisputed Queen of Traffic, to guest post on her site about how one of my posts from here, “7 Ways to Hack Google for a Free Front Page Listing” got on the front page of Google for some very competitive keywords.

And what the Queen wants, the Queen gets.

Especially since I’m pretty sure Angelina Jolie’s Russian spy character from Salt… and Ana Hoffman… are the same person. Question: have you ever A.J. and A.H., both in the same room at the same time?

No?

Proof positive, I tell ya.

😉

Srsly, though… you need to see my guest post on Ana Hoffman’s site if you have a desire to get on the front page of Google for local OR global search results. It’s all her fault (that I got #1) and I give seven of her best posts to follow directions and get your blog some TRAFFIC, baby!

Makes sense with a site called Traffic Generation Cafe.

Okay now, back to our regularly scheduled programming: how to automate & delegate aspects of your business in order to free yourself up to lead it properly.

Delegating Duties is NOT Laziness; It’s Your JOB

Somehow or other, I’ve allowed myself to get in my own way by micro-managing several aspects that should be left to others in the form of simple checklists.

Result of working harder?

LESS getting done, or getting done properly, because I’m trying to do too much myself.

SO I decided to go back to earning more, while doing a better job for my customers… by doing less.

Checklists Help You… or Others… Get it Right Every Time

My resolution to get more done by doing less is already under way. Starting with my martial arts studio first I’ve been following Shoestring Step FIVE: Now Write Everything Down.

Writing it Down #1: I had an apprentice/employee (my right hand man, named Dillon) write down the 17-step cleaning process we use to get the studio “spic and span” before classes begin.

Either Dillon or I would be responsible to get the studio into shape before classes. But that is a poor use of our time because we are qualified Black Belt instructors.

NOT that being a Black Belt makes you any “better” of a person… I believe that all work is honorable. It’s just that there are more folks qualified to clean mats and toilets than are qualified to train a cagefighter.

Or to do something REALLY hard… like teach a three year old how to sit still and listen 😉

SO now, Dillon and I have handed off our responsibility to a new hire. The new guy follows the checklist, and at a much lower level of compensation than Dillon or I need to command for what we do. Delegating this task has left us fresher to and better able to serve the Student body at the top of our game.

So everyone wins.

I work less, Dillon gets to do more of what he’s best trained and suited to do, and another job gets created. Our Students get served better. Everyone wins.

Examples of Checklists for Business Automation

Writing it Down #2: I personally had to put this checklist together: my weekly inventory and supplies checklist.

As you might know, with a name like Shoestring101 I hate carrying inventory.

Inventory takes up space.

It freezes up capital.

It collects dust.

I hate dust.

BUT..!

Sometimes it does make sense to simply have something on hand to sell rather than making the customer wait for delivery.

And the sales you will make outweigh the above crap that you put up with.

Knowing What YOU Do Helps You Train Others

IN the case of my martial arts studio, watching the numbers over the years gives me an idea of what to expect and how to plan for it, so the inventory checklist is an indispensable part of the business.

Only NOW… I’ve handed it over to someone else to do.

By making the checklist silly-simple, it’s easy to train someone else to do this important, but time-consuming task.

I know from past patterns that as many as 5 small humans, aged 3-5 might join my school in any given week.

So it doesn’t make sense for me to carry any more than five uniforms for tiny rugrats, does it?

Especially since I’ve put in place a policy to order new uniforms every week on a set day.

Here’s what I did to make this weekly inventory-and-order task automatic:

1. Make a list of EVERYTHING necessary at any given time for Students’ apparel and equipment needs
2. Pare it down to the most common items broken down by size
3. Track the numbers to reveal how much of each item needs to be in stock
4. Make a commitment to use the list weekly and to make tweaks along the way

Business Systems Make it Simple

My weekly inventory checklist now gets done every Wednesday. Orders placed Wednesday night are delivered to the studio by the following Monday morning so  we begin the week fully stocked.

By tracking the numbers I know roughly how much of each item to stock.

For example, 5 “size 00” black uniforms.

The checklist says 5… there’s a space to enter the actual amount in inventory, say 3… and another space for the difference. 5 – 3 = 2 .

Output: order 2 “size00” black uniforms.

Simple.

The most difficult part about this process was actually handing it off.

It’s HARD to admit sometimes as a business owner that someone else can do as good or (gulp!) a BETTER job than you at any aspect of your business.

But unless you want to end up doing EVERYthing… at one point or another you’ll need to pass that torch.

But, Kurt. What Will I Do with All the TIME I’ll Save?

Ahh. Now therein lies the rub.

SOME of us entrepreneurs (ahem. AHEM! …not ME. But some people) tend to be workaholics.

SO we genuinely hold our businesses back in order to stay involved with them.

When they would do better, even THRIVE if we would just give ’em room to grow.

Which is what I’m documenting here for you. I’m showing you by example the final Step in the Shoestring101 process: Now Write Everything Down. This one Step frees you up to do other things with your time… than chase around putting out fires.

Aere’s what I plan to do with the time I save over the next three weeks:

Shoestring101’s NEXT 30 Day, $1,000 CHALLENGE

You may have been watching when I started a business with $62.66 and blew it up into $1195 profit in 30 days. Even went on to make it a bigger enterprise in “Another Case Study: Five Steps to Five Figures”.

It’s gotten to where my five-step system is gaining more than a little notoriety. In fact, I’m getting a little cocky… claiming that I can start a biz for less than $101 dollars and make a $1,000 profit with it in 30 days or less.

Heh… ‘Cause I can.

And more importantly, so can YOU.

All you need is two things to be business, remember?

1. Access to a thing of value
2. A way to communicate with folks that value that thing

So now I’m looking to you for a little guidance. I sent out a survey to my mailing list and it’s gotten a few answers so far. I’d love for you to help steer me further.

Could ya take a couple of minutes and fill out this quick survey below? The email address of everyone that gives me input will be saved and I’ll send $101 to a randomly selected voter.

Also, if I happen to use YOUR idea to make a profitable biz in 30 days I’ll send ya your choice of $101 or a “Side Business Blueprint” to walk you through the exact process.

Okay, dear Reader! Thanks for helping me to start out the New Year right with another 30 Day, $1,000 Challenge. Gimme your two cents below!

Thanks for making to the bottom, and especially  for taking the survey.

Keep Stepping,

Kurt