You started your business with a specific plan to do something that you knew you had the skills and talents for, you would enjoy doing, and—most importantly—you would be successful at. You carefully charted your course and set out for your destination wearing your Captain’s hat. Somewhere along the way you started wearing more and more hats (Book-keeper, Administrative Assistant, Marketing Director, Social Media Expert, IT, etc.) Now you find yourself stuck in this business realm of having no time to focus or take action on what matters most. It’s time to steer that ship back on course and focus on your core strengths. Here’s how:

• Productivity is crucial because, without action and productivity, nothing gets done. Don’t waste time on activities that don’t add real value to your business and to the lives of your clients.
• Implement systems, common solutions to repetitious and predictable problems.
• With a few well-designed systems and procedures in place, you can free up your time and start working on your business instead of working in your business.
• There is an art to bringing people together and helping them achieve their goals. When the people you serve come to love and respect you and are consistently learning from you, they become eager to purchase the products and services you offer. This group of people is known as “your tribe,” and having a tribe is the key to having money in the bank.
• Understand your clients’ direction and objectives so you will be better able to serve them and help them achieve their success.

In conclusion, the formula is simple. If you want to explode your business and—by that I mean—attract better clients, make more money, and have more freedom…you must focus on three key areas.

• Get in front of the right people, at the right time, with the right message.
• Move interested prospects into a sales conversation when they are ready and eager, and keep the lines of communication open.
• Implement systems and structures that will support you, your clients, and the continuous growth of your business.

Remember, as a business owner you are the commander-in-chief. You are the captain of this great vessel. As the key decision maker, there shouldn’t be anything stopping you from delegating some of those tasks that don’t add value to your business or that take you away from making more money. Keep in mind when you hit those rough waters, a Virtual Assistant could be your first mate to return you back to smooth sailing.