Handy tips to help you and your business grow

Use these tips to help your business and yourself grow and thrive

You might recognize this story. You started your own business because you were simply good at what you did. An expert in a specific service or a true craftsman in creating a particular product. And it worked: your company grew into a successful business. In fact, it got so busy that you decided to hire extra hands (or brains).

Then came the moment you suddenly realized that your focus had gradually shifted from your original core business (the service or product you're so good at) to pure business management. That’s a whole different ball game.

Not only have more people become dependent on the success of your business, but the reverse is also true: without those people, your business can no longer grow and thrive. So, you need to get to work on HR management, especially if you plan to expand your company further. How do you do that if it’s not actually your profession? These tips can help you on your way.

1. Keep a clear and achievable goal in mind

Of course, it’s good to map out a multi-year plan for your business. Setting a clear goal on the horizon for both the short and long term is definitely part of a good business strategy. However, be realistic in your ambitions and don’t set the bar too high.

So, don’t just think about how fast you want to grow, but also what that requires. Financially, materially, and in terms of HR. What does it demand in terms of effort, knowledge, and skills from your employees?

Conduct a "fleet review": what people do you currently have on board, are they capable of making that development, and if so, what do they need? You might need to ease off the gas for a bit. But you can also make progress with small steps. And it gives you and your employees a bit more breathing room to grow along with the developments.

2. Build a strong team

As a starting entrepreneur, you are at the helm alone, the spider in the web keeping everything under control. But as your company grows, prepare yourself for the fact that you can no longer do everything yourself. You must have the courage and the ability to delegate certain tasks to others. If you don’t, there’s a good chance that not only will you burn out, but your company will go down with you. And that certainly can’t be the intention.

Really, you don’t have to be able to do everything. There’s a reason for the saying "stick to what you know." So, gather a strong team around you so you can let go of certain things and pass the baton to someone who knows more about it than you do.

Is your business too small for a permanent HR advisor or financial professional? Then consider hiring an external consultant on an hourly basis. There is nothing wrong with that either. It gives you extra space in your schedule and a better night's sleep.

3. Develop your leadership skills

As soon as you are no longer a solo operator but have one or more employees, you need more than just professional knowledge about your product or service. Something extra is required: leadership qualities. You need to be able to motivate people, commit them to your organization, and establish and pass on the company's values.

That requires quite a lot. Self-awareness, communication skills, or time management, to name just a few aspects. Some people have those skills naturally, but usually, it takes more than that to be a good manager.

So, don’t hesitate to seek advice from a business coach or take a good management training course. It is well worth the investment.

4. Take good care of your employees

Once you have carefully assembled your dream team, make sure they want to keep committing themselves to your business. You do this, for example, with a healthy work culture. A work environment where you are allowed to make mistakes and where you feel safe. An environment where enough is invested in good working conditions and a salary that feels like an appreciative pat on the back.

Taking good care of your employees also means offering them the space to continue developing. So, budget for sufficient training and regularly talk to your employees about their future dreams and hidden talents.

Some diamonds don’t stand out at first glance, but can suddenly start to sparkle with the right attention. How great is it when you discover you have such a diamond on your team?!

5. Take the plunge every now and then

If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always gotten. However contradictory it may sound: if you want to give your business more security, it sometimes takes a gamble.

If you just keep drifting along, you’ll doze off. At some point, you may well miss the boat as an entrepreneur. You don’t grow with the market and make insufficient use of new opportunities and insights.

Of course, we’re not advising you to make rash, ill-considered choices on impulse. But there’s nothing wrong with cutting the knot after a good SWOT analysis. To opt for a different way of working, renew a product, expand your staff, or open a new location. That may feel a little uncomfortable and is sometimes a bit nerve-racking, but a leap like that can give your business a new boost.

And yes, sometimes you gamble wrong, or make a misjudgment. See that as a learning moment. As long as you keep a buffer in reserve, that’s perfectly fine. 

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Choose online solutions
There are all kinds of online options to support you in keeping your business future-proof. From internal communication, running the numbers on different scenarios, and keeping track of personal development plans to keeping your employees’ knowledge up to date. But we can imagine that you sometimes can’t see the forest for the trees, because there is so much to choose from. So feel free to contact us. We’d be happy to think along with you!

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