Since our move in July, I have been taking the rest time to dive into the next steps now that we are in this new phase. Adjusting mindsets if you will see where the road will take us next. Doing this, also made me realize that we can show up in two very different ways in our business – in either Solo Mode Mindset or in CEO Mode Mindset. Let’s discuss the differences:
Solo Mode Mindset
This is when you look at your business through the lens of ME.
“What do I want/ not want? What’s best for me?”
CEO Mode Mindset
This is when you look at your business as a separate entity. As something that stands on its own, separate from you.
“What is best for the business? What does the business want/not want right now?”
Depending on which lens you are looking through at the moment, the answers could be very different. You might think this is about the size of the business… a solopreneur is running in solo mode, and a bigger business is running in CEO mode. That is not always the case.
I know of many bigger businesses that are still being run in solo mode – where the owner of the company is making decisions based on what THEY want/don’t want… and not always based on what is best for the business. Likewise, I know many solopreneurs running their businesses in CEO mode – looking at what is best for the business and not just what they want/don’t want. The truth is – as a business owner, there are times when you are called to make decisions that you personally may not want to make. Let’s look at a couple of examples:
1. Expanding your Team
I’ve had many conversations with business owners who say: “I know I should get more help, but I just don’t want to spend that kind of money on hiring someone…” I get it. YOU may not want to spend that money, but what does your business want?
Is your business at the point where a team is becoming necessary?
Where is there simply too much work and not enough ‘hands’ to complete it? What is a lack of support costing you in your business? How much work is still on your plate because you don’t have the right support? How much work isn’t getting done at all because you don’t have anyone else to do it? Likewise, what could the right team/support allow you to create more of in your business? How does having a team in place free you up to do what your business needs you to do? (growth-focused activities)
2. Documenting Processes
“Bah! This seems like such a waste of time, and I don’t think we need to document processes.” At face value, yes, processes are boring. They aren’t sexy or fun to create. And it might seem like a lot of work to document processes and get them all laid out into a Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) guide.
But let’s take a look at why processes matter…
Without them, you have to rely on what’s in your brain to get things done. You know the tools. You know the steps. You know what needs to be done and how to do it. This means that you always have to be involved for things to get done… yikes!
Even with a team in place, without processes, your team may not be doing things ‘your way.’
I hear this as a common complaint from business owners: “I’ve hired someone, but they keep messing it up, so I may as well just do it myself.” To which I would say: “That is only true so long as the process – the way to do it – lives in your head.”
In other words, get the ‘HOW TO’ out of your head and into a documented process that someone else can follow so that they *can* do it right. Documented processes are the key to freedom. The key to trusting your team. The key to taking a vacation and not having everyone scrambling in your absence. The key to repeating what works again and again. And the best part? You don’t have to do any of this alone!
When you hire a Certified OBM®, they specialize in teams and processes. When you have an OBM on your team, THEY become the one to make sure you are building a solid foundation for your business. A foundation that allows you to operate in CEO mode to build more of what you want in less time. I would love to connect if you’d like to explore what working with a Certified OBM® could look like in your business.
See you on the other side of the screen,
Cassandra Comeau is a web designer and systems/tech expert who supports digital entrepreneurs, course creators, and coaches. My focus is to help them create their online presence with a focus on sharing their story and services/products, all while making sure your tech tools and systems are supporting you on the journey. Since 2019, I have worked with several businesses through direct 1:1 work and through agency support to help them reach their dreams while creating more time for them to focus on their zone of genius and being able to ensure an opportunity to get offline to spend time with those they care about.
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