Entrepreneurship is usually encouraged by telling people to "leap." As someone who has done this strategy and is known for taking massive action, I understand the WHY behind the what of this theory. This theory is based on building up the courage to go after what you want without giving into the hesitation generated by fear. This theory pushes you out of your comfort zone so quickly that you are supposed to learn to grow wings. And while this theory technically works, it also leaves out major stages of the development phase required to "leap" and the most important part….be able to LAND ON YOUR FEET.
Again, I am speaking from experience, meaning I have jumped before I was ready, jumped without warning, and jumped without a parachute which I think we can agree qualifies me to teach you some of the lessons I've learned the HARD way, along the way.
And one of those lessons is the importance of dedicating time to building out your backend systems. When I first took the "leap," I didn’t invest in Coaching or Consulting because in my head, "I was smart enough to figure it out as I went." By the way, I now know this was my ego and it caused me to have to work way harder because I was "so smart." Yet, I digress…
So back to the backend of your business. There are the 4 major areas that I highly recommend building BEFORE you start marketing and promoting your business:
1. An Intake Questionnaire:
Everybody is NOT your customer, so this is one of the quickest ways to determine if you can solve this person's problem and/or if you need to invest time into this person. By creating a quick questionnaire you save time by permitting yourself to direct this prospect in another direction.
2. Fulfillment Process:
This seems simple, but this is what happens after someone says YES! You should not have to fumble around and figure out what contracts or emails you need to send next. This should be an instant and smooth transaction. This means you need to sit down and outline the workflow from start to finish.
3. Content Container:
I'm all for being inspired and creating when the spirit moves you. However, that is NOT reality! You don't have time to worry about "what am I gonna post today?" And the way to avoid this anxiety, as well as keep you on brand is to build a container to house your content when you are inspired, unmotivated, and just need to repurpose.
4. Where The Money Goes:
I am amazed at the number of entrepreneurs who do NOT have a business banking system. And while that sucks, what's even worse is they don't have a business budget and a plan for their business funds. Money needs to be told what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. I recommend deciding the percentage of profit you want to keep ASAP and then building a system around that number FIRST.
These are a select few backend systems that I recommend in the beginning. As your business grows, so will your systems. Yet, attempting to skip or rush through these very important steps is one of the quickest ways to burn out in your business.
Truth: Systems are not sexy, but systems are how you scale, track progress, and ELEVATE!
WHO AM I?
I’m Kandis Troutman, The Creative Architect. I'm a mother, teacher, and spiritual seeker focused on purpose walking and serving others. I help women activate their God-given power so they can transform their purpose into a prosperous business.
Thanks for reading my post. I try to publish new posts weekly, but I believe in leaving room for God, which means there are no guarantees. But check in often and let me know what content awakens your spirit and I’ll be more than happy to share my experiences.
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