Likely at some point, you've experienced various issues.

• Maybe you started your business to have more control over your time, money, and freedom…but your business runs your life.
• Maybe it’s a Lack of Profit. Quite simply, you don’t have enough.
• People. Nobody (your employees, partners, vendors) seems to understand you or do things your way.
• Hitting the Ceiling. Growth has stopped.
• Nothing Is Working. You’ve tried several remedies, engaged with consultants, read books, and instituted quick fixes. None of these have worked for long.

However, the business grew because I worked HARD, not SMART, eventually leading to burnout.

I had very little control over my time & spent my time-fighting fires and keeping an impression on the outside that I was okay.

I engaged with numerous independent consultants & coaches, read all the top business books, and invested tens of thousands of dollars in personal development.

However, it took years to realize that I was working with many individuals, all working independently with their own agenda.

I was ready to quit, sell my business, and do something different.

Left humbled, I sought out people who complimented my strengths and allowed me to spend time doing the things I loved doing.

By aligning with people that had “been there, done that,” I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Over the next 24 months, we 10X’d our business.

The best part! Our team and system allowed our business to grow consistently and remain highly profitable without my Day-to-Day involvement.

This afforded me the time to pursue my love of baseball by coaching at the college level, gave me the capacity to start a nonprofit, and the financial means to support ministries close to my heart.

Step 1: Have a Compelling Vision for Your Life & Business

A clear vision is crucial for success in your personal and business life. It sets the direction and motivates you to take action.

To define your vision, take the time to reflect on your aspirations and goals. Think about what truly inspires you and aligns with your values.

Creating a compelling vision'll unlock the power to drive your business forward and achieve remarkable results.

Most entrepreneurs live an accidental life, be intentional and get clear of the life & business you want to build.
 

Step 2: Define the Positions on the Team

Defining Success for Your Team

A successful business relies on a well-structured team. Identify critical roles and define what success looks like.

Treat it like any sports team, every position knows the role they have to play for the team to win, and success is clearly outlined in the stat sheet.

If you can clearly define what success looks like and have everyone in the organization have clear #’s that show you who’s winning & who isn’t, you will create a culture of high performers that challenge each other to be the best versions of themselves.

Are you a VISIONARY?

Do you have an INTEGRATOR to be your Second in Command, someone who can help take your vision, create a plan, execute it, and make it a reality?

Looking back at historical figures like Walt Disney, it's evident that he had his brother Roy, who may not be as widely known. As Walt was the face of the business, but Roy was the one behind the scenes making it happen. 

Who’s your Roy?

If you have someone in that “INTEGRATOR” seat, are they the right person? Have they been trained & equipt to do a great job? Are they producing the result you desire?

• Henry Ford had James Cousins
• McDonald’s Founder Ray Kroc had Fred Turner
• And Bill Gates had Paul Allen.
• These individuals served as world-class VISIONARY/INTEGRATOR. DUOS!

As a business owner, you might identify more with the VISIONARY role, thinking innovatively and believing in endless possibilities.

However, having a reliable second-in-command, like Walt and Roy, Henry and James, could be the missing component.

Step 3: Get the Right Players on your Team

As an entrepreneur, it's essential to recognize your strengths and weaknesses. For example, juggling multiple roles can hinder your progress.

By building a team of talented individuals who share your values and hunger for success, you'll create a foundation for growth. When hiring, focus on both skills and cultural fit.

Most people get hired for talent, they get fired for values.

You also must ensure you're hiring people who are hungry and want it.

People are born for that job; the job you are asking of them is in their superpower. This job is something that I will wake up and love to do, and it's something that, when done well, will give them satisfaction and help them accomplish the personal & professional goals they have set for themselves.

I hire based on past performance rather than potential, especially for leadership and management positions. The potential is excellent, but if you are in growth mode, you will need people to perform quickly.

Hire slowly, and ensure they've done it before or have some experience that says they can do the job, especially for senior-level positions.

Because if you're hiring somebody who hasn't been there and done that before, you're making a bet that they can figure it out.

Hire somebody that you know has been there and done that.

Step 4: Train & Equip the Team

You need a system to plug your team members into to maximize productivity.

All the great businesses have created a franchise-style prototype. Look at Chick-fil-A. They have a system that they can easily plug a high school student into, and within a couple of days of training, they are producing a level of customer service and product quality as if they had been working there for 20 years.

• Is your business optimized?
• Do you have a training system where you can replace your current team with other players within days and not miss a beat?
• Do you have a system where your team executes a plan, or is there chaos & inefficiencies?

Most businesses experience people issues, but when it comes down to it, I often see it as a systems error; by creating better systems, people's problems often disappear.

As your business enters hyper-growth, new jobs will be created, people will get promoted, and you will need to backfill current roles with new teammates. However, having a business that centers on finding people with hard-to-duplicate skill sets rather than systems could create a company that is harder to scale.

I love people, and I love them so much that I want people to come into an organization that isn't chaotic; it's a proven model that produces results when followed.

How clear, clean, and efficient is your business?

How can you simplify, optimize, and create efficiencies to make it easier on your current team?

Step 5: Work S.M.A.R.T Not Hard

Once you know your "why," are clear on the type of business you want to build, and have buy-in on that vision and mission from your team, the fun starts.

Now it's time to work S.M.A.R.T.

Most have heard of the Pareto Rule or the 80/20

The Pareto Principle states that 80% of consequences come from 20% of the causes.

Thus, more harshly putting it, 80% of your day and the things you spend time on are a complete waste of time.

So we have to figure out the 20% of the stuff that makes an impact and focus our time and energy on those items.

As an owner, what are those 3-5 things that you do, that only you can do that make an impact and drive the business forward? Answer that question for you, spend most of your time doing just those things, and delegating everything else, and you will be on the right path.

Quarterly S.M.A.R.T. Meeting

Then each quarter, involve your team in this type of process. Each quarter, I sit our clients down, ask them to work "on" not "in" the business, and answer questions like.

• What's right? What's working in the business?
• What's wrong? What needs to be fixed in the business?
• What are the big quarterly goals that should be done in the next 90 days?

You will be in great shape by filtering out those things that need to be fixed or accomplished and only picking the top 20% of those things that make up 80% of the impact.

Don't have a company that wakes up and works hard; be one that strategically plans their steps and spends their time on the things that matter most.

Conclusion

Congratulations!

You've now gained insights into the 5-step proven process for gaining control over your business. Remember, a compelling vision, a well-structured team, and efficient systems are the keys to success.

Take action today and start implementing these steps to unlock your business's full potential.

For more on this subject and stories, please listen to our podcast episode, where we dig deeper and share in-real life examples.

Wishing you continued success on your entrepreneurial journey!

-Casey Cavell