Comments on: Future-Proof Your Business by Creating a Method from the Madness

By: Is Your Company a “Fluffer” for Other Businesses? - Zoomstart

Is Your Company a “Fluffer” for Other Businesses? - Zoomstart — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:10:25 +0000

[...] service burden back on your clients by getting them involved to solve their own problems. Create efficient procedures and automate as much as [...]

By: Shane

Shane — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 22:27:15 +0000

Hey Limitless, thanks.

Bunk, glad you enjoyed the post. Systems can save a lot of money. And they can even save a business from failure if it loses key “experienced” people.

Hey Nik, great point. McDonalds is probably one of the most successful franchises ever built … all thanks to the systems they created. Systems that you can roll out again and again are imperative to scalability.

Hi Erin, it’s good to have some systems in place for yourslef to keep everything moving and organized. They can really help an entrepreneur with a full plate. Once you start hiring people though, is the time to really start putting together those systems because they have to worl in the real world with people who don’t know everything you do. Bouncing them off your new hirees is how you’ll refine them best as you get feedback and figure out how to make them … er … “idiot proof”.

By: erin

erin — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 19:09:21 +0000

great post. i’m just getting ready to launch my company online and the processes are already there. if you don’t have one in place, even if it is currently just you, i just don’t think you can be as efficient. streamlining something and then doing it the same way each time is a huge asset to have in place before you start hiring folks to help you. really good topic! i just started reading your blog and i really enjoy it.

By: Trip Around the Blogosphere 10-14-2007 | Pajama Professional

Trip Around the Blogosphere 10-14-2007 | Pajama Professional — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 03:43:50 +0000

[...] successfully is to have a simple, scalable process. Zoomstart discusses this in their article Future-Proof Your Business. If you haven’t explored expandability and automatization yet, this is a great time to [...]

By: Nik

Nik — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 08:28:35 +0000

Your great post reminds me of the book I’ve recently read which talks about the same thing. How to make our businesses to work systematically.
The book is the E-myth revisited and I recommend to all that want to bring their business to the next level and don’t be sick of it.
Everything in the business should have specifications. Thats why the franchisee opportunities the most time succeed, because they are working based on a system that works.

By: Bunk

Bunk — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 20:57:23 +0000

This post just goes to show how systems, when implemented, are truly one of the main heartbeats of a growing business. Without an operational system, a business must fall back on skills, which must be taught and more money must then be payed out. Systems save you money, systems make you money! Great post!

By: Limitless

Limitless — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:50:19 +0000

Hi! Those are really good tips, nice article! I really enjoyed reading it. I’ll be checking your site more often

Limitless

By: Shane

Shane — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 21:38:21 +0000

Hey Ankesh,

That's a great point. If you're selling your business, then having a comprehensive set of procedures is a good asset. And they can be a valuable commodity to others in the same industry as well.

Generally it's better (especially for entrepreneurial ventures) to hold off because everything is in motion in the beginning. A lot of things will change and it's better to be out getting sales rather than continuously updating changing procedures.

But if you have a lot of things on the go and a lot of specific needs for different customers or different products, then, definitely you need procedures right away to make sure each job you do gets done right. And just the process of creating procedures can help you hone a handful of different business models down to one solid, simple model that covers all your various activities.

By: Ankesh Kothari

Ankesh Kothari — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 08:23:38 +0000

Thanks Shane for an awesome post. I think people should start creating their procedure manuals even if they don’t hire others and have to train no one. Because it helps when you want to exit and sell off your business too.

And they can always sell their procedure manuals to their competition (in other cities) too.