Once upon a time, many of us entrepreneurs had wonderful dreams about what our ideal businesses would look like, what our lives as CEO would be like, and how to balance it all with all our new wealth and possessions.
Then we started a business and found out what it was really like – hours of working much longer and harder than we ever did when we were working for someone else, debt that scares the you-know-what out of us, and less pay to boot. If your story is similar, think back to your original dream.
Freedom means many different things to different people. For some, it means flexible hours. For others, it means working at home. For still others, it means working for yourself. I’ve found that whatever it means, most people want more of it. I’ve also found that you can do more than you think to create the exact type of freedom you desire in your business. Here’s how.
Know What You Want
The first step is to define what freedom means to you. For me, it was taking a walk every day at 2PM. I block out my calendar from 2-4PM so I can do a workout or a walk, or even errands that are urgent. I work into the evening so that I still get my hours in. I am refreshed and do better work all day long because I take a break at the right time for me.
We all have demanding clients, but they are not the owners of our businesses; we are. We can become so service-oriented over time that we forget it’s OUR business, not our clients’ business. Set boundaries if you need to.
To get started on your road to biz freedom, define what freedom looks like to you. You could start with what you don’t like about your schedule. Or it could revolve around a client, employee, or service that you’re offering. Nothing is out of bounds. Take a look at what’s constraining you and see what you can do to solve it.
Brainstorm
Once you’ve defined what you want to change, think of alternative ideas and solutions. If it’s big, think big. You may have to trash a service line, a client type, or an entire office, and replace it with something that works better for you. It’s your business after all.
Ten years ago, I was doing in-person coaching. I would have to get up early, get dressed, fight traffic, go into my overpriced office, and meet my clients. I loved coaching, but I could not see a way to profit from it the way I was doing it. Today, I have a full coaching practice with a waiting list. I do this with back to back calls that are bundled on 1-2 days a week. I’m making three times as much money in far less time and effort. Plus, I have no rent to cover, and I‘m even using less makeup and dry cleaning services!
How can you change your service line to fit your needs and still provide excellent services to your clients?
Implement
Once you’ve brainstormed creative ideas to build the freedom into your business, choose the one that works the best for you and take the steps to implement it.
Some people feel that having employees and making payroll each week is anything but freedom. But if you are doing low-level tasks and not performing your highest skills, you are far from free. A compromise is to use a contractor who has many other clients and can do a portion of your work. They can also be virtual, so you don’t give up your physical freedom, and many are part-time who pick up a range of hours depending on your needs.
In this internet age, freedom is more attainable than ever. If you don’t feel free in your business, stop and define what it means to you, brainstorm how to fix it, and implement your new ideas. When you feel freer, the quality of your work will go way up and so will your happiness and your profits.
Sandi Leyva
Author Bio: Sandi Leyva, CPA, CMA, MBA, and founder of Accountant’s Accelerator, has helped thousands of tax and accounting professionals earn more, work less, and serve their clients better through her innovative marketing, training, and coaching services. Author of 30 books and hundreds of CPE courses, Sandi has won 12 awards for her thought leadership. Visit her at accountantsaccelerator.com and acceleratorwebsites.com.