TheresaMost creative CEOs, consultants, and contractors eventually reach a point in their entrepreneurial journey where they need to make a monumental decision: grow their business to meet an increasing demand or allow their operations to come to a standstill.
If you’re at all like the many agency owners I’ve worked with over the years, the latter option doesn’t appeal to you.
Despite the long hours and never-ending to-do list, you are passionate about your business and bettering the lives of the people you serve. You want your business to thrive.
But there is one major stumbling block that often gets the best of agency owners who are planning the expansion of their business— they focus on growth rather than sustainability.
In some cases, this single decision is enough to irreparably damage their brand and profitability.
My goal has always been to help creative CEOs, consultants and contractors expand with excellence, and building sustainable operations is an integral part of making that mission possible.
This is why I wanted to dedicate today’s blog to diving deeper into why sustainability matters more than growth.
What is Operational Sustainability?
Operational sustainability refers to the process of managing a business in a way that allows for continuous improvement without compromising future efficiency or profitability.
What is Business Growth?
Business growth is the pursuit of enlarging a business with the goal of increasing earnings.
What Are The Benefits of Building Sustainable Operations?
There are many ways a sustainable development plan can benefit a creative CEO, consultant, or contractor.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the positive results.
1. Client Loyalty
People prefer to do business with brands and companies that have a proven, long-term track record for delivering their desired results. Thus, the longer your business is around and thriving, the easier it will be to acquire new clients and retain your existing ones.
In fact, 60 per cent of consumers prefer to purchase from a familiar brand as opposed to a new one. (Source)
And this perspective applies to service-based businesses as well. A potential client will be more likely to hire you if they have seen you around, heard about your work via family and friends, and know you have been generating results for a great deal of time.
2. Risk Mitigation
Scaling a business does not involve planning for potential setbacks or hurdles, but putting a sustainable development plan in place does. Sustainability is all about identifying gaps within your current operations and ensuring those gaps (as well as any deficiencies that may arise down the road) are accounted for. In order to successfully scale your business, you must be absolutely certain that you have the systems, structures, and strategies in place to accommodate growth and reduce the likelihood of major issues.
3. Effortless Performance
One of the greatest rewards of operational sustainability is the freedom you gain from putting teams, tactics, and technologies in place that are capable of functioning flawlessly without your constant input. When CEOs and consultants have comprehensive strategies and systems in place, they are able to get back to doing what they are meant to do— serving their business from a leadership standpoint.
Automation is a key component of building sustainable operations. It allows agency owners to completely “set and forget” certain tasks and projects, without compromising their peace of mind. Whether it’s welcome emails, calendar invites, or sales lead scoring— automated systems can keep your business running like clockwork.
What Are The Benefits of Scaling a Business?
All of the advantages association with growing a business can be summarized under one umbrella term: increased profits.
These advantages include:
- Securing a larger inventory of products or materials
- Generating more sales leads
- Diversifying revenue streams
- Increasing market share percentage
- More partnership opportunities
While all of these outcomes are exciting and favorable, they can be compromised if the business has not put a sustainable development plan in place to support these advances over time.
Why You Need to Focus on Sustainability First
I want you to think about a deep-rooted tree.
No matter how ominous a storm may be, a deep-rooted tree isn’t at risk of being ripped up from the ground.
Why is that?
It’s because trees focus on building their foundations first. Long before we see their vibrant leaves, trees are busy beneath the surface expanding and strengthening their root networks.
They seem to “know” that they can’t expand their crowns and produce far-reaching foliage without first ensuring they are secured.
Our businesses are like trees. The more deep-rooted and supported they are, the more likely they are to thrive.
Start Building Sustainable Operations Today
My Shift to Scale Accelerator Program Breaks The Process Down Step-By-Step
In this one-of-a-kind program, I guide creative CEOs, consultants, and contractors through the process of establishing a rock-solid sustainable development plan.
The program will take you through the four high-impact stages of sustainable growth:
- Simplifying: Create a holistic snapshot of your agency to determine what’s working, what’s not, and what can be streamlined.
- Strategizing: Identify the bottlenecks and leaks, and build a strategic roadmap to achieve the results and begin the shift.
- Systemizing: Finetune the system, so it can consistently run without your direct involvement.
- Scaling: Shift the agency to autopilot, so you can step back and let it run itself. Build ROI and continue to measure for results.
Are you ready to create sustainable success?
LET’S DO THIS!
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