Working Smarter

"The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them." Albert Einstein

Working smarter begins with stepping back, asking some critical questions and looking for answers with an open mind.
  • Do you know where your business is going?
  • Are you the chief fire-fighter?
  • Are you putting your money where your goals are?
  • You're in business -- something must be working!
Work smarter by thinking before acting, by knowing the cost of your actions (or inactions), by fixing problems before they occur and by monitoring your progress.

Step 1: Plan

Plans are road maps to reach a goal. They include the major activities and resources you will need to get there. Planning brings value because you think about a problem and potential solutions without a sword hanging over your head.
  • It's very hard to reach a goal you can't imagine.
  • Listing resources is different than getting them. List all the resources you can think of, then identify the one's that make sense.
  • Start with the major steps to reach your goal then refine them.
  • Include known/estimated costs in your plan.

Let a plan lead the way to realizing your goal. Biz 4 the Rest of UsŪ helps you set focus and identify the steps you need to take to reach your goal. Focus your business on YOUR goals with the Biz Plan that Works today.

Step 2: Put some muscle on your plan with a budget

How much will it cost to keep your doors open? to reach your goal? to earn a decent living for yourself. Prepare a budget! A budget is not
  • fictional numbers you make up and then put in a file;
  • a spreadsheet with all numbers 10% higher than they were last year;
  • a waste of time; or
  • just a useless piece of paper you banker wants.
Budgets are financial strategies that help you meet your goals. They also provide fiscal discipline and help keep costs under control. Put your money where your goals are!
  • Is your business seasonal? How will you meet expenses during the slow time?
  • You want to increase sales by 10%. What will it cost to do it? Do you need to hire some help to meet this goal? If so, how will you pay them?
  • You want to cut costs by 10%. Do you expect sale to increase, decrease or stay the same and how will any of these expectations affect your costs?

Managing a business without a budget is flying blind. Set a budget and measure your progress with Biz Budgeting.

Is there more than one way to meet your goal? Absolutely! Workable plans and budgets include scenarios for critical situations or sensitive situations likely to occur. We can help you develop alternatives.

Step 3: Are we done yet? -- Tracking your progress

This is the part where you don't let your plan and budget languish in a deep dark corner of your desk drawer. Plans and budgets mark the path towards your goal.
  • Are you moving towards your goals or are you just moving?
  • Is it a plan or a pie in the sky?
  • How do you know?
Biz 4 the Rest of UsŪ can help you build the guide posts that make it easier to measure progress.
  • Use the intermediate goals in your plan to measure your progress. 
  • Are you meeting these goals and is your budget on track?
  • Does the plan and budget still make sense?
  • If not, why don't they?
  • Is your time frame realistic?

We can provide the reality checks to diagnose

Step 4: It's better to prevent fires than fight them

Is your business healthy? Let the Biz Checkup find problems before they happen. The Biz Checkup score card is a great tool to look at the pulse of your business and assess it's health.

Are you keeping up with the competition? The Biz Checkup can compare your business to similar ones and give you over 50 ways to improve your liquidity, profits and sales. Is your business healthy? Find out today!

Step 5: Give your business a tune-up


  •
  • Manage your cash: Understand your Operating Cycle to optimize the cash you need for normal operations.
  • Reduce the chaos (1): Look at the probable effects of change before blazing ahead.
  • Reduce the chaos (2): Build a safety net yor your workflow, vendor relationships and key staff positions.