Organizing the Entrepreneur

Owning your own business is hard enough. As an entrepreneur, you wear all the hats from CEO to janitor. There are so many competencies required when you are calling all the shots. Savvy business people know their strengths and turn their liabilities into assets.

 If setting up systems to make your business run more efficiently is not your strength, follow the example of his and hers entrepreneurs Geoff and Heather Kleinman of www.Kleinman.com.  

The couple own several web-based business, and as their business grew, one day found themselves sitting at haphazard desks, surrounded by cardboard boxes, and sifting through piles of paper. Amazingly, they maintained highly functioning businesses, but were paying for it in personal stress.  

The Kleinmans called Restoring Order® for an entrepreneur’s makeover.  

If you want to “restore order” to your productivity and put your business on the path to success, invest in getting organized. 

Tips for Entrepreneurial Success 

Commit to Your Priorities

Do you want to be the leader in your field? Are you looking to create raving fans? Planning to retire early? If you hope to achieve your Technicolor dreams, now is the time to invest in your priorities. Rather than being “nickled and dimed” by clutter and poor systems, invest in the process of getting your business organized. Things of value require an investment. You can measure the strength of your priorities by the investment you are willing to make in them. 

Investigate What IS Working

Before you begin berating yourself for your disorder, stop and celebrate that which you are doing well. Do you return messages on time? Is your PDA working wonders for you? By noting your strengths, you can model after success. If your PDA and computer are buzzing with efficiency, perhaps using technology in other areas (lead generation and tracking, for example) would be effective.

 Admit What is NOT Working

Make a list of your frustrations and concerns. Do you have a filing system that works? Are your daily tasks manageable? Does paper have a flow through your office? Are your five calendars causing things to fall through the cracks? Group your list into paper, space, and time management issues. 

Assess the Costs of Disorder

Now, list what it is costing you to be disorganized in your entrepreneurial venture. Productivity? Credibility? Stress? Lost leads, which means lost income? An ulcer?

Realize that this list is blocking you from achieving your priorities. This list is your catalyst for change. 

Examine Your Causes of Disorder

Organizing is like counseling. You first have to figure out how you got here before you can get out of the place you’re in. If you truly want lasting change in your business and in your office, you will have to find out how you arrived in this place of chaos. Sure, it may be that you never set up good systems in the first place. However, it could also be that your time management is not supporting your office. If you allow no planning time, your systems have no chance to succeed. It could be as simple as crummy office furniture, or too much superfluous stuff crowding your space. Once you identify your causes of disorder, you will be more likely to reap lasting benefits from your investment in organizing. 

Review Your Job Description

As you talk through your job description, your daily tasks will come to light. These tasks are the basis for your systems. From processing to projects, you will need a way to manage the various aspects of your business. The sharp entrepreneur will simplify these daily processes to expedite their progress to their goals.  

Reclaim Your Environment

Systems will only go so far. If you create a fabulous filing system that empowers your start-up business, but the file cabinet is blocked by clutter, you won’t maintain your new system. The entrepreneur that wants to reclaim his or her business will tackle the burden of clutter invading the office. If at all possible, the office should be reserved solely for business purposes. After eliminating unnecessary or nomadic items, remaining items should be evaluated by frequency of use and point of use.