The Scale Your Business Guide
Who is this guide for
There are different ways of Scaling a business and the way that will work best for you is the way that is aligned with who you are.
This Guide will help you Scale Your Business if you are:
This Guide will help you Scale Your Business if you are:
A Purpose Driven Entrepreneur
Selling services
laptop
An Online Business
Are you ready to scale?
Before we dive in the 10 steps, let’s make sure that you are indeed ready to scale.
If you don’t know if you are ready to scale here are a few questions you can ask yourself:
If you don’t know if you are ready to scale here are a few questions you can ask yourself:
1
Are you serving so many clients that you are reaching your full capacity (or almost) and wonder how you will be able to serve more clients since you're already booked?
Do you feel constantly overwhelmed with everything that you have to do, juggling your business and your life?
2
3
Do you feel that what you need the most is TIME? Even more than clients or money?
Do you feel that you have to do everything by yourself in your business, if not, it is not done properly?
4
5
Since you don’t have time to do everything by yourself, you are always afraid that things are going to spill or fall in between the cracks?
Are you wearing all the hats in your business and all the responsibilities are on your shoulders?
6
7
Do you wonder how you could make more money without adding more hours in the day or finding a way to clone yourself?
Do you secretly wish that someone could come and help you take things away from your plate so you could breathe?
8
9
Do you sometimes wish that you could take unplugged time off, but can’t see this happening in the near future?
Do you have many other ideas for your business and a big vision for the future but don't see how this will happen since you have no time left?
10
If you answered “YES!” to most of the questions above, and if you recognised yourself in the description, then you are definitely ready to Scale your Business!
WARNING
One of the biggest challenges of entrepreneurs who are ready to scale is that they don’t have enough time. So you might be tempted to stop reading this guide in the middle in order to answer an email or to check on a client. However if you don’t take the time to read this guide, chances are you will not know how to get off the treadmill and you will continue in the rabbit hole that you already find yourself in.
My Suggestion…
Take a deep breath, find a quiet place where you can focus and concentrate and consider this a time that you invest in yourself to learn a proven method that will enable you to continue to increase your revenue while stopping the overwhelm and getting your life back.
Are you ready?
So, let’s go!
Are you ready?
So, let’s go!
10 steps to scale your business while staying in alignment
Step #1 - Alignment first
Before we go into the scaling process of your business, we need to make sure that everything you do in your business is aligned with who you are and with your values.
You see, the scaling process is an investment in time and money and before you invest we want to make sure that you are going in the right direction.
So this is the time to check that you are completely aligned with who you serve (your ideal client), what you offer them (your irresistible offer), your pricing, your positioning in the market and your role in the organization.
This is done by doing a lot of introspection work, such as meditation, journaling and visualization.
You want to make sure that you are in the right business and in the right direction to achieve your goal and see your vision realized.
You would be surprised to hear how many entrepreneurs start a business because of an opportunity and once they are ready to scale, they need to ask themselves the question, and double check if this is what they really want for themselves in the long run
It is like when you go out on a few dates with someone and it is going well, at some point you have to decide if you are ready to commit with that person before you invest more time and energy.
Well, scaling your business is exactly the same :)
You see, the scaling process is an investment in time and money and before you invest we want to make sure that you are going in the right direction.
So this is the time to check that you are completely aligned with who you serve (your ideal client), what you offer them (your irresistible offer), your pricing, your positioning in the market and your role in the organization.
This is done by doing a lot of introspection work, such as meditation, journaling and visualization.
You want to make sure that you are in the right business and in the right direction to achieve your goal and see your vision realized.
You would be surprised to hear how many entrepreneurs start a business because of an opportunity and once they are ready to scale, they need to ask themselves the question, and double check if this is what they really want for themselves in the long run
It is like when you go out on a few dates with someone and it is going well, at some point you have to decide if you are ready to commit with that person before you invest more time and energy.
Well, scaling your business is exactly the same :)
Step #2 - Leverage your Habits
Since time is your most precious commodity right now, the first thing that you should focus on after checking your alignment is how you manage your time and what are your routines and your habits.
I know it may not sound like the first priority when you are overwhelmed and you are looking for practical tips and tools to help you in your business, but trust me, this is what will make the whole scaling process possible.
So the first thing you want to look at is how you spend your time. What is the system that you use to manage your time and your priorities?
The best way that I have found that works for me - and for a lot of successful people - is implementing routines and habits in your business.
Here are some examples of routines that you can implement
I know it may not sound like the first priority when you are overwhelmed and you are looking for practical tips and tools to help you in your business, but trust me, this is what will make the whole scaling process possible.
So the first thing you want to look at is how you spend your time. What is the system that you use to manage your time and your priorities?
The best way that I have found that works for me - and for a lot of successful people - is implementing routines and habits in your business.
Here are some examples of routines that you can implement
- Morning routines - wake up 30 min earlier and start your day with exercise, meditation, journaling and inspiration
- Blocks of time - break your day into blocks of time and decide in advance what you will focus on in each block of time
- Taking breaks - make sure to drink plenty of water and to take breaks every 45 minutes
- Evening routine - close the light 30 min earlier, prepare the next day before your go to bed and keep a gratitude journal
Those are the main habits that will change your life and your business. Of course, there are more, but those ones are the basic ones and they will help you see clearly in your priority and come with high energies to look at your business from a different perspective
Step #3 - Leverage your Mindset
The next step you want to take is to leverage the way you think about yourself and about your business and to challenge your beliefs about how far you can go.
Our success is limited by our beliefs and by how we see ourselves.
If we want to reach new results we have to change our beliefs.
Scaling your business means being able to reinvent yourself and to see yourself as a totally different person.
Until now you have been an entrepreneur, and you have been successful at creating an offer that people are willing to pay for, and that is amazing!
You have been able to transform an idea into a business, and of that you should be proud.
But now, you have to go to the next level!
Now you need to become the CEO of your business, and this starts with how you see yourself before you show it to the world.
The CEO mindset is the one that will allow you to:
Our success is limited by our beliefs and by how we see ourselves.
If we want to reach new results we have to change our beliefs.
Scaling your business means being able to reinvent yourself and to see yourself as a totally different person.
Until now you have been an entrepreneur, and you have been successful at creating an offer that people are willing to pay for, and that is amazing!
You have been able to transform an idea into a business, and of that you should be proud.
But now, you have to go to the next level!
Now you need to become the CEO of your business, and this starts with how you see yourself before you show it to the world.
The CEO mindset is the one that will allow you to:
- Stop doing everything in your business by yourself and focus on your Unique Brilliance
- Take the time to structure your business with systems and processes
- Hire and delegate to the team of professionals that you need
- Be the leader for your clients and for your team
- Keep an eye on your long term vision
Step #4 - Leverage your Client Delivery
Before you can start making any changes in your business for the long term, you have to make sure that your existing clients are happy, this is your first priority.
Of course your clients have been happy with you until now, if not they would have left, so you already did a great job.
But you want to look at all the areas of your client delivery that can be improved, optimized or made more efficient
Here are a few areas that you might want to improve
Of course your clients have been happy with you until now, if not they would have left, so you already did a great job.
But you want to look at all the areas of your client delivery that can be improved, optimized or made more efficient
Here are a few areas that you might want to improve
- Onboarding system
- Payment and invoicing system
- Contract or agreement
- Rules and boundaries
- Actual delivery of your services
The goal here is to turn your happy clients into raving fans so that when they speak about you to their friends they can say how amazing it is to work with you.
And once your existing clients are happy, you can put your focus on the other steps of the Scaling process.
And once your existing clients are happy, you can put your focus on the other steps of the Scaling process.
Step #5 - Leverage your Finances
When you are ready to scale your business it means that you have found the sweet spot between what your clients need and what you can offer them, and that is great news!
The Scaling Stage only means that you are going to do more of what already works and in a smarter way so you don’t burn out.
Knowing that you have created a money making machine, it is much easier to make investment decisions such as - how much money to invest in Marketing to double or triple your revenue and how much money you can invest in your systems and team, so that you stop the overwhelm and you get your life back.
As soon as you say the word investment, it means that you need to know 2 things
The Scaling Stage only means that you are going to do more of what already works and in a smarter way so you don’t burn out.
Knowing that you have created a money making machine, it is much easier to make investment decisions such as - how much money to invest in Marketing to double or triple your revenue and how much money you can invest in your systems and team, so that you stop the overwhelm and you get your life back.
As soon as you say the word investment, it means that you need to know 2 things
- Do you have the cash to invest, and if yes, how much?
- What is the expected return on investment ?
You also want to have a system to know what are your financial projections in the future based on the revenue that you have made until now.
Until now, you may have been able to grow your business without paying too much attention to your finances.
But as soon as it is time to invest, you want to know where you spend your money and what you will get in return.
Until now, you may have been able to grow your business without paying too much attention to your finances.
But as soon as it is time to invest, you want to know where you spend your money and what you will get in return.
Step #6 - Leverage your Offer
When you first started your business, you started with whatever offer would work, because you were still trying to figure out what your market needed.
Once you had a better understanding of what your potential customers needed, you created your Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
And you probably offered your MVP for most of your Growing Stage, since your goal was to have as many clients as possible.
But when the Scaling stage arrives, you need to make sure that your offer is compatible with different levels of income, different level of commitments and sometimes even different tiers of your market
That’s when you start to work on your Irresistible Offer, which is a packaged offer with different levels of service so that you can align your business model and your pricing to different target markets.
That’s also when you start thinking of different Business Models and revenue streams to increase your revenue in different ways.
Once you had a better understanding of what your potential customers needed, you created your Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
And you probably offered your MVP for most of your Growing Stage, since your goal was to have as many clients as possible.
But when the Scaling stage arrives, you need to make sure that your offer is compatible with different levels of income, different level of commitments and sometimes even different tiers of your market
That’s when you start to work on your Irresistible Offer, which is a packaged offer with different levels of service so that you can align your business model and your pricing to different target markets.
That’s also when you start thinking of different Business Models and revenue streams to increase your revenue in different ways.
Step #7 - Leverage your Positioning
Now that you are an expert in your field and that you have an Irresistible Offer you can position yourself differently in the market.
This is the right time to update your messaging and visuals and to go through a rebranding process.
Many entrepreneurs when they get to the Scaling stage, decide to redo their website or take someone to rethink their initial Branding.
What got you here won’t get you there
So the Branding that you had through your growing stage, is not necessarily the same that will get you to double or triple your revenue.
This is the right time to update your messaging and visuals and to go through a rebranding process.
Many entrepreneurs when they get to the Scaling stage, decide to redo their website or take someone to rethink their initial Branding.
What got you here won’t get you there
So the Branding that you had through your growing stage, is not necessarily the same that will get you to double or triple your revenue.
Step #8 - Leverage your Marketing
Throughout the Growing Stage, you have reached out and been in contact with your first and second Circles of Influence.
You have enjoyed an organic growth and the clients that you have are the result of your hard work in networking, referrals and meeting new potential clients.
Naturally, those are the people that know, like and trust you already and it makes more sense to sell organically to people who know you or to people who are recommended to you.
But when you reach the Scaling Stage, you are ready to expand your horizons and to go to the 3rd Circle of Influence, where people don’t even know that you exist, yet.
That is when you start creating systematic lead generation and lead nurturing funnels to have an ongoing stream of new leads to convert into clients
This is when you decide to go from organic and natural marketing to paid advertising marketing.
You have enjoyed an organic growth and the clients that you have are the result of your hard work in networking, referrals and meeting new potential clients.
Naturally, those are the people that know, like and trust you already and it makes more sense to sell organically to people who know you or to people who are recommended to you.
But when you reach the Scaling Stage, you are ready to expand your horizons and to go to the 3rd Circle of Influence, where people don’t even know that you exist, yet.
That is when you start creating systematic lead generation and lead nurturing funnels to have an ongoing stream of new leads to convert into clients
This is when you decide to go from organic and natural marketing to paid advertising marketing.
Step #9 - Leverage your Systems
In the first few years that you are in business, you need to look for the sweet spot between what your clients need and what you offer, and you need to get more clients and make sure that they are satisfied.
In the beginning it is a lot of trial and error, with you learning in the process how to become an entrepreneur and how to serve your clients better.
But as time goes by and you gain more confidence and you are more and more sure of what your clients need and what you can offer them, you need to start getting your business organized and structured to be able to serve more clients and increase your revenue.
You can continue to do everything from scratch and manually, but there is a point where you will need to automate things in your business, where you will need to create workflow and processes with step by step rules and manuals to describe how you work, and how you can duplicate things in your business without working too hard.
You also need to start using tools, softwares or applications that have been created to make your life easier and that you need to know how to integrate in your business.
All this needs to be started before you decide to hire your team so that they can continue to help you structure your business, but they have something to start with.
In the beginning it is a lot of trial and error, with you learning in the process how to become an entrepreneur and how to serve your clients better.
But as time goes by and you gain more confidence and you are more and more sure of what your clients need and what you can offer them, you need to start getting your business organized and structured to be able to serve more clients and increase your revenue.
You can continue to do everything from scratch and manually, but there is a point where you will need to automate things in your business, where you will need to create workflow and processes with step by step rules and manuals to describe how you work, and how you can duplicate things in your business without working too hard.
You also need to start using tools, softwares or applications that have been created to make your life easier and that you need to know how to integrate in your business.
All this needs to be started before you decide to hire your team so that they can continue to help you structure your business, but they have something to start with.
Step #10 - Map your Business to hire your Team
When you become an entrepreneur you do everything by yourself. You don’t have the money to hire, you are not sure yet what to delegate and most importantly you need to gain self confidence in what you offer, and make sure that there is a market for it.
But when you are ready to scale your business, you cannot do everything by yourself anymore.
You have too many clients, and things to take care of, and you are aware that if you continue doing everything by yourself, two things might happen:
But when you are ready to scale your business, you cannot do everything by yourself anymore.
You have too many clients, and things to take care of, and you are aware that if you continue doing everything by yourself, two things might happen:
- Either you will burn out
- Or the quality of your services will suffer
So you have no choice but to identify the areas of your business that can be delegated and to start looking for people that will help you, so that you can live a more balanced life and be available to exponentially grow the revenue.
Hiring your team is usually a big step for entrepreneurs, but there are ways to do it so that you don’t commit to something that you are not ready to commit.
Map out your business and identify where it is possible to automate or create a system in order to save time and increase efficiency.
Hiring your team is usually a big step for entrepreneurs, but there are ways to do it so that you don’t commit to something that you are not ready to commit.
Map out your business and identify where it is possible to automate or create a system in order to save time and increase efficiency.
Conclusion
Once you follow those 10 steps, you will be ready to scale your business and to see more results from less efforts.
You probably know the saying that says - “New Level, New Devil” - Well it is also true with the Scaling stage :)
What got you through the Growing stage is not what will get you through the Scaling stage.
So if you want different results, you will have to change the way you think, the way you work, the way you see yourself and what you focus on.
If before you needed to work hard => now you need to work smart.
If before you needed to hustle to get clients => now you need to focus on exponential growth.
If before you needed to save cost and do everything yourself => now it’s time to think about return on investment
If before you would base your confidence on trial and error => now it’s time to solidify what you already have and to leverage it
All of the above cannot be invented, it is what you learn in Business School and it is what the bigger companies in the corporate world work on every day.
Before being a Business Mentor I was the owner of a consulting firm and I gave strategic advice to big companies and organizations. Back then, I was already using strategies and methods to improve efficiency and productivity, to leverage their teams and to organize their work in processes and workflows.
Today, I have decided to take everything that I learnt in my MBA, my experience as a Consultant, and everything that I already applied in my successful 6 figures business and I created a method for small business owners to help them become the CEO of their business and go from the Growing stage to the Scaling stage of their business - it is the Scale Your Business Method!
And that's exactly what I want to share with you in the Scale Your Business Lab where you will learn how to leverage your business and create exponential growth, by creating systems and hiring your team
Creating systems and hiring your team is not something that you can improvise or do intuitively, it takes learning new concepts, mindset shifts and it requires you to go out of your comfort zone.
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel and create everything from scratch - you can learn it in these 3 days of live training Scale Your Business Lab, where I will share with you my Scale Your Business Method and where you will learn how to leverage your mindset, how to create systems to structure your business and how to hire the right team.
So if this is resonating with you, join me for this 3 days Lab, and come see how I can make implementing Systems and hiring your team actually FUN :)
Nathalie Garson
I can’t wait to spend this Quality Time with you!
With Love & Blessings,
With Love & Blessings,
Nathalie Garson
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