Quick Reflection

Quick post since I haven’t posted at all in a while.  I have been writing, but obviously not here.

What a busy year?  Good in most respects.  This time of year, I like take some time and reflect  - and truly be thankful for so many things in my life.

I also take some time and reflect on what I wanted to get done for the year, and what I actually got done for the year.  It helps me recognize accomplishments – something no one does real well at anymore.  We all need to celebrate more wins and the wins of others.

This reflection time also helps set me up for a one month push to get some things over the goal line and sets up the upcoming year with new dreams, aspirations and goals. 

This becomes my working draft for my goal planning in December.  I do this with all of my year-end clients as well.    

I’ve been busy with a couple business re-structuring projects this year.  These are generally very difficult projects, but also can be really fun  - most things have to change and the change is always better.  

Some people are good at changes; some are not.  From my side, it’s about planning, communication, execution, communication, evaluation, communication, repeat.  Notice communication is mentioned 3 times.  Something else we can all do better at.   

As always, if you need any help, let me know - I love helping business owners of companies with 10-100 employees improve their businesses.  

Think Profit,

/jon

Good Start?

I hope everyone is having a good start to their year.   

I certainly am.  Work is going well, I've been skiing a few times, my daughter is back in college, I feel pretty fit and healthy - you know, life is good.  I just took some time in for some planning - long-term & short-term.  I put together a comprehensive binder that I use on a daily basis. 

What I learned in my fitness quest - the only way to get maximum results is by setting action plans and targets, and writing down results on a daily basis.  I’ve logged every workout since 1996.  Not that I’m in great shape, but if I hadn’t logged the workouts, I bet I’d be like a lot of other people out there - fat and out of shape, but that’s another story.   

I break my big areas in my life into dreams; dreams into goals and goals into tasks.  I type it, and I look at it.  Goal Setting 101.  It’s a pain and requires discipline and habit change, but it works.   

Anyway, with your business, it’s the same.  Set your operating plan with action plans and key targets, and measure your results with your financial statements.  It’s Business 101 and it works. 

I’m working with a client now – they did the first step very well.  They have a strategy and have communicated it with their team, but they aren't measuring results  - because the accurate results are not available.  Business 201.  Accurate information must be instant.

We quickly developed a simple one page dashboard and a process to reduce the financial close from 20 days to 5.  The processes and controls implemented made the financials completely accurate and regained the team’s confidence in the numbers.  Get your financial close process smooth and tight so you get accurate results - fast. 

And all your business processes need to be constantly reviewed and improved.  Think like a franchise and develop the most efficient repeatable processes you can. 

If you need any help, let me know - I love helping business owners improve their businesses.  

Think Profit,

/jon