Are you a small business owner hoping to get more organized? Do you own a corporation and want to see more productivity from employees? Have you been searching for ways to simplify your business while keeping your productivity moving in a positive direction? My business, SimplifiedVAServices, provides social media management, bookkeeping, and general administration work for your business.

While we provide services to help you keep your business on track, I also like to provide advice to those looking for different ways to maximize their time and keep the profits coming!

Today’s world is full of people who want to be business owners, but most businesses fail within the first year because they lack the organization and knowledge of running a business long term. Many entrepreneurs start out thinking owning a business will be a walk in the park until they dive in and get started. If you are reading this and thinking, “I don’t need this advice, on to the next blog post,” stop for a moment and ask yourself a few questions:

1. Can I remember all the tasks I need to complete without writing them down?
2. Am I able to make time for my family the way things are right now? Or am I spending most of my time on my business?
3. If I have employees, how will I know what specific things they are doing and when? 
4. Have I created a schedule for billing clients? Creating products for customers?

If you can’t confidently answer these questions and are beginning to feel overwhelmed, take a deep breath because the next two lists will help you greatly get ready to take some notes on how you can accomplish your business goals.

Types of Businesses : Big Businesses

Let’s talk big business first. If you own a big business, you probably have several employees to keep track of. In a perfect world, every employee does their job quickly, accurately, and happily. Sadly, it isn’t a perfect world. So how do you keep your employees happy, thus keeping production moving? Here are a few tips from a friend of mine who is a Department Manager of a large home improvement store:

• Create short, specific lists for employees.
• Lists should be focused, only including two to three items of most importance.
• Include a timeframe to complete the tasks such as “this could be done in a single 8-hour shift” or “please complete by Friday.”
• Provide positive praise to show appreciation when the tasks have been completed. This one is huge if you want to create a positive work environment.
• Create friendly competition among colleagues but ensure that all who worked hard are given some type of reward or praise for their hard work.
• Say “thank you” as often as possible- this truly goes a long way to make people feel appreciated.

Owning a large business can be challenging, but when your employees feel valued and appreciated, you will see huge success! These same rules can apply to large, online businesses as well.

Small Businesses

Now, let’s talk about small business, shall we? Small business owners are my heroes because often they are one-man-bands completing the tasks of several people. As a small business owner, I have been through the ups and downs of business ownership and have come up with several suggestions for those of you looking to simplify your business, while maintaining your productivity and profit. In small businesses, the less complicated the better.

• Create a list of tasks you need to complete; ideally in order of due date or importance.
• Use time management sites such as Trello or Toggl to maximize your productivity.
• Make sure you have set up an account for invoices.
• Celebrate small victories- you finished the first two tasks on your list? Hooray!
• Remember your “why” during those hard times where you feel the motivation leaving your soul and the feeling of “giving up” overcomes you.
• Don’t accept clients that you truly can’t deliver for, even if the money is amazing 
• Never give up! Know your worth as a business owner.

Show appreciation for those around you, thank your employees for their hard work and stay organized. Owning a business can be such a rewarding experience! Don’t let the everyday tasks and scheduling bog you down and overwhelm you. You can do this!