Motivating Blogs
Written by: Calvin Anderson
Topic: How to Jump start your Business
Jump starting your business comes is necessary when your business has come to a grinding halt, or a quiet stop. You know this has happened when you read and compare your numbers from previous years and found to be in the red. This is all about survival and if you don’t do something quick you may end up losing more than your business.
Why would you need to jumpstart your business anyways? Well the traditional way of restructuring and hiring and firing and retraining and re-grouping can be very time consuming and costly and you still may end up in the same position. Sometimes you need to just get moving so you can steer the business in the direction it needs to go. So it’s not time yet for all that restructuring, its time to focus on getting the gears of the business turning, and operating A.S.A.P.
- Call for reinforcements
- There are exceptions to every rule but there’s a slim chance that there is anyone within your company can generate the “juice” needed to jumpstart your company. Although you may have many talented individuals, you have a greater chance of getting the gears turning buy bringing some outside force. It may cost you or it may be free but it is necessary.
- Grant Full Autonomy
- When you have your “outside” power introduced and operating within the company, the new information and way of doing business can do nothing but send ripples of inspiration and hope throughout the company. Unless you got your over zealous grandmother to come in and start pulling on everyone’s ear telling them to get a move on. There is no doubt that this individual has to be a people person. Grant them full autonomy to do that which they came to do “Get everyone working”. Support their decision and encourage your team to listen to them.
- Stay Involved
- Since your Power Booster is just temporary, you have to remain close to all activities. Because once he releases those jumper cables you need to be ready to put your foot on the gas so you can get and keep your business rolling.
Overcoming Obstacles
Depending on how long your business have been “dead” it may not be that simple, If your business have been sitting say for a year or just barely getting by you actually need more than a jumpstart, You may need to actually change the team, starting with leadership.
Hey, Calvin! Any experience in doing this? We own a two-year old brokerage and noticed this summer that while we are making money, we are not where we should be after two years. We are two partner owners, and decided two weeks ago that I would take over training, managing, and focusing all 17 agents, while my "slick salesman" partner would start developing a social network with builders, developers, and mover-shakers in the local economy to boost our image among the local businessmen that can help grow our business. I'm excited by the changes on my end, most of the agents are focusing quickly and making a difference already in our listing inventory and under-contracts. On his end, the business will build a little slower, but I think we're moving in the right direction. Any input?
Hi Calvin, good post.
Boston, where I grew up and went to school (Northeastern U). Don't miss it much though! :)