Running a small business is tough, right?
 
The ever-changing landscape can be overwhelming, but today I’m seeking wisdom from an unexpected source.
 
I asked my almost 9-year-old (“It sounds more grown-up than 8, Mum”) for her tips on running a small business. Trust me, her fresh perspective will blow you away and make you see things in a new light! 💡
 
So, get ready to embark on a journey of discovery as we explore the pearls of wisdom from an 8-year-old entrepreneur-in-training (she has plans to open her own art gallery/restaurant one day).
 
You never know, her insights might just inspire you to update your approach and implement some simple yet effective strategies to help take your small business to new heights.
 
Let's do this! 👇

​It is a truth universally acknowledged that everyone hates micromanaging!

If someone was micromanaging you, you might feel like they're looking over your shoulder, like they don't trust you to do your job. 

And let's face it, the hourly check-in emails and daily progress calls only serve to eat into your productivity. 

If you're the one micromanaging, you'll likely be frustrated that you're wasting time chasing someone else when you'd rather be doing something more productive. 

In this way, micromanaging is un-helpful, un-productive and stifles creativity and morale. 
​
So, what can you do instead?

​How many times have you uttered the words, “it’s easier if I just do it myself.”

We’ve all been there, whether it’s something as simple as helping your child get dressed in the morning when they’re refusing to do it themselves or writing a new blog post for your website because the idea of handing the task to someone else is a little terrifying.

There are usually two main reasons people choose not to delegate:

“I can do it myself. I don’t need any help.” – Translation: “I don’t want anyone to think I can’t manage. I don’t want to feel like a failure.”

“I’d rather do it myself.” – Translation: “What if they get it wrong?”

Both are understandable mindsets, and trust me, as a business owner and especially as a Virtual Assistant who’s used to being delegated to, I still find it difficult to let go of certain tasks and responsibilities to someone else.

When you first start up a new business it can take some time before it starts to make any kind of significant profit so many people continue to work full-time and run their new business on the side, at the same time.
 
It makes sense because you need money coming in to pay the bills while you work on getting your company up and running; however it can take a lot of hard work and very long hours to work two jobs effectively.
 
If you are planning to run your business alongside a full-time employed position there are quite a number of elements to take into consideration, not the least of which is managing your own health and wellbeing at what will be a very busy and stressful time.
 
To give us some tips on how to balance both we asked the experts from Crunch.co.uk and they gave these useful tips. 

There’s nothing worse than dreading the journey to work because you know your marketing team isn’t quite as ‘on it’ as they used to be.
 
It’s a crushing feeling - particularly when you’re so invested in the business yourself.
 
What gives? Why do they appear to be so unproductive when they were once flying high and smashing every target?
 
Fear not, for there are some smart, tried-and-tested methods you can adopt to rejuvenate your flagging marketing team, and I’d like to share them with you today.

Did you know that an average of 2 missed calls can equate to 104 potential missed sales each year? If you’re a relatively new small business, then hitting the ground running and getting those clients reeled in is a huge priority. However, with new business comes an influx of telephone enquiries if you’ve nailed a good marketing strategy - and as great as this sounds, answering numerous calls can become very time-consuming.

It’s not just on the hour calls that eat up your working day, but maybe your job involves lots of travelling or the inability to answer the phone due to the nature of your business.

If hiring a receptionist just isn’t in your business budget, then a call answering service might just be what you need.

​A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is usually very helpful for any business. This is mainly because every business faces emergencies or disasters that can hinder its continuation. If your business does not have a continuity plan you might be forced to close down in case of emergencies or disasters. This makes it paramount to know exactly why having a business continuity plan is crucial for your business.