My secret to scaling a business
When I first started my business 8 years ago, I knew I wanted to create something bigger than myself. And the way I was going to do that was to build a business, and a brand that was not based on me as an individual, but rather, based on something I had built. I think the biggest mistake business owners make is chugging along + doing everything themselves, day in + day out. There's no blueprint, no teachable method - the job relies too heavily on them as an individual. This, in a nutshell, is simply not sustainable, and there is a better way.
Everybody has dreams of scaling - of growing a company to the point where you just get to "be the boss" without doing "any of the work" - but little does everyone know that there are a lot of misconceptions here. With any job, it's easy to chug along + simply "do the work" - over + over, again + again - but to take the time to decide on core values, create a blueprint, eventually teach others how to do what you do, build a team + most importantly, create an infrastructure, is a skillset in + of itself, and an imperative one if you want to scale.
When I first started my brand I knew I wanted to create something that could essentially run without me - of course my essence would be in everything that we do, but it was important to me from the beginning that we could do what we do in the Leilani way without the Leilani human, and there are a few deliberate things I did from the start to ensure this was possible.
Remove the thought that you can do it all.
Because truth be told, you simply cannot. Ego in business simply does not work. You must understand that yes, while you are the captain of the ship, you need a crew to support your on your long + wild mission. Building + growing a business means playing a long game. The small yet meaningful difference between a service provider + small business owner vs entrepreneur + founder of a larger company starts with this in my opinion.
Create a methodology that you can teach.
I call mine The Leilani Methodâ„¢. From the start, document everything that you do, how you do it - all of the texts + emails that you send, language that you use, the nuances of it all. Write down your processes in a manuscript form instead of figuring it out on the fly each time. This is how you start creating a brand behind what you do. As you do this, you are essentially removing yourself from the equation so that it evolves from you teaching others how to do what you do, but providing a blueprint that they can learn, adopt, and eventually implement.
Trust, but be discerning.
Trust me when I say - this is all about trial + error. I could write a book on how many people I have come across throughout my years, people who have showed promise but then quickly fell flat. People who I spent time + energy on, who I trusted to be ambassadors of my brand + help me grow - just to turn around + use me for my knowledge + connections. It can be hurtful; I pour so much into the people who work for me + it oftentimes goes unappreciated but you must have a thick skin - it's part of the game. Sense the red flags quickly. Let people go as soon as they need to go. Don't just trust everyone. Be discerning. People will come + go so don't get too attached. Focus on strong values + a clear mission and that will carry you through.
PC RIMA BRIDAMOUR