How's It Coming?

A couple weeks ago we said we'd get our operating manuals started, so how's it coming? I know, I'm having the same problem. It's hard to figure out all the details of exactly what you do all day, let alone attempt to put it in a manual. My solution has been to keep a journal of daily activities. This helps to not only make sure I stay on task, but to also create a log that can later be transferred into items for the operations manual.

Duplicating yourself is not an easy task. After all, you didn't learn everything you know about your business overnight. My business fantasy is that I will find a partner who knows just as much as I do about business, and more in some areas so that we can build the business together. Because I didn't start my business with a partner, that remains a fantasy. Truth be told, even George has no clue what I do daily and is often taken back by tasks that he deems as unfruitful but are a necessary part of the process. I am a researcher, and instead of reinventing the wheel will often find someone who has done what I'm attempting to do or similar and find out what successes they have had. George, on the other hand, feels that once you have the business idea in mind, you should be able to move forward and start making money the very next day. Our different business models often collide and cause problems that we have to analytically resolve without throwing a stapler across our shared office space. During this season in business, because I have refocused on some necessary fundamentals in business, I don't even venture into our shared office space. I find solace at my kitchen table, coffee table or bed in order to complete all the research items necessary to market our businesses appropriately. Completing a market analysis of your business is a time consuming and challenging task when you are doing it yourself, but can be costly if you hire an outside firm to complete one for you. So I may not have my operations manual draft available by my original deadline of October 31, but that is the beauty of being in business for yourself, you can adjust the deadlines to more realistic ones. Once I am complete with the market analysis of my business model/plan then I can begin to figure out what my immediate course of action should be.

Some days I look at how many hours I spend working my business and long for a regular 9 to 5. When I worked a corporate job, when I left I did not take work home with me. I left the office at 5pm and had the rest of the evening free. My weekends did not consist of me working, but the gratification of being on my own time, working from home, spending time with my 6 year old son Dorian, and fulfilling my God given purpose in life is much more rewarding. Sure it's taxing now, but with good investment strategies and retirement planning, I won't have to work until I'm 65 before I retire. So stay encouraged, continue developing your business strategy, and let me know how it's coming along, I am curious to know how you are doing. Thanks for those of you who keep me informed via Face Book (Shot out to Roni Facaine, not only a follower of my blog but a great business woman and an inspiration for me to continue moving forward).