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Policy, Procedures, and Work Instructions are the Key to a Turnkey Business

Do you ever worry what will happen to your business if you get hit by a bus? Yeah, me too. And I tell my clients all the time, “A quality management system comprised of good policies, procedures, and work instructions will handle all the details of running your business for you, so you can work on growing your business instead of doing your business.” A recent article in Washington Business Journal shows the strength of my position. Nea{cosmo}politan Pizza Favorite Rises To Franchise Heights, WBJ, August 26, 2016, p.6. http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2016/08/24/attention-pizza-lovers-there-soon-could-be-many.html

A husband and wife team started moving pizza from a food cart and then opened one great Neapolitan pizza business, Pupatella, that gets national recognition. But, they hate dealing with the day-to-day details of running the business and their lack of a detailed quality management system has prevented them from opening additional locations. To get over this obstacle to growing their business, they hired an outside consultant who grew his own business from one to 50 locations by putting in organizational systems and formalized processes.

Hopefully, the expert will give them the playbook they need to grow the number of locations they want and Puppatellas will be popping up everywhere.

I help people optimize their businesses by helping owners stuck working in their businesses work on them instead by proceduralizing them from top to bottom, side to side, front to back, start to finish.

[reminder]What process centered quality system do you have in place in your business?[/reminder]

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Can You Pass The Bus Test?

If you writing your business plan gave you trouble, try writing your business transition plan. Entrepreneurs incessantly think about developing, building, and scaling their enterprises. And, except for the big dream of going public or getting bought by a bigger fish, if you are like most owners, you will seldom think about transitioning your business to its next owners. And the failure to put in place a transition plan now, will almost certainly  cause you or your family to lose almost everything you have worked so hard to build.

Think about what would happen if you got hit by a bus walking to the coffee shop around the corner.

  • If you were unconscious for a week, a month, or longer, who would step in for you and keep your business running?
  • If you died, that same question applies, as does, what would happen to your business?
  • Would someone run it for your family? Why would they?
  • Would someone buy it from your family? Who? Why would they? How much would they pay?

In as much that failing to plan at succeeding in your business is tantamount to planning to fail at it, failing to plan at transitioning your business is tantamount to just letting it whither on the vine as you lay disabled or dying.

Don’t just think about this. Do something to prevent it. Find a good business advisor and build a good transition plan.[reminder]Do you have any clue what your business would do tomorrow if you got hit by a bus today?[/reminder]

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Running Your Own Business – Part 2

RUN YOUR OWN BUSINESSIn Part 1, we discussed the “big picture” of Greatness! Now, in this Part 2, let’s begin with the end in mind and discuss in just a bit more detail the concept of Greatness!, which must drive you to be Great! in business.

Before we start doing “whatever it takes!” to make you Great! in your own business, let’s agree on our definition of Greatness!

Because you are not with me writing this blog, let’s start with my definition of Greatness! Continue reading “Running Your Own Business – Part 2”

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Running Your Own Business – Part 1

RUN YOUR OWN BUSINESSIn the Business Facet of this Great! All the Time! blog, you will learn in detail the following ideas:

  • The concept of Greatness! must drive you to be Great! in business.
  • A Great! business leader fulfills the five functions of mentoring, marketing, management, money, and moving on.
  • To be Great! in business, everyone in your business must brand, broadcast, attract, connect, relate, serve, Cha-ching!, Cha-ching!, and repeat.
  • The P10 Principle is the best way to set up and run a Great! business, allow the you to fulfill the five functions of a business leader, and allow everyone in your Great! business to enjoy The Overarching Concept of Greatness!

Continue reading “Running Your Own Business – Part 1”