In his book The Four-Hour Work Week, author Tim Ferris brings the power of outsourcing and automation to the forefront. As a result, there are so many people who are learning how to run a business on automation. Consequently, they get to enjoy a four-hour workweek. If you’re a business owner that wants to automate more components of your business, consider the following tips to get to that place. Besides that, be sure to check out this executive summary of a business plan as well.
Write and implement strategies
Think about how you’d like to operate as a business owner. If you want to work less than twenty hours a week, you’ll need to start the business with this goal in mind. In order to do this, think about the various processes that a business needs in order to operate successfully. Implement protocols and codes of conduct for future employees so that they can read the documentation and know-how to operate. Create systems for social media promotion and email marketing. Once everything is written down, this helps you teach and train less.
Create a hiring process
A hiring process is so important because even though artificial intelligence is a booming market, you still need people to help your business run efficiently. This is why it’s best to develop an HR point person. Make sure that you develop criteria for the people you’d like to hire. For a company to succeed, your process involves creating a solid and consistent company culture. As you work toward developing a company culture, it’s best to think about factors like soft skills like emotional intelligence and empathy as well as hard skills like Excel proficiency and sales expertise.
Pay your employees well
Your employees are going to be the ones who will do all of the dirty work. As a result, this allows you to relax and enjoy four-hour workweeks. This is why it’s important to make sure you show appreciation for your employees. Treat them well. Make sure they’re financially rewarded. Create an environment and culture that makes it difficult for your employees to want to work anywhere else. When you’re a great boss, you’ll remember that your employees are people first. At the end of each year, do an employee review. While you’ll want to be transparent with your employees about how they’re doing, make sure that you find out how you are as a boss. If there are ways you can improve, make sure that you implement those tips. As an employer, develop yourself and evolve.
Maintain a strong internet connection
Whether you’re trying to get in contact with the palette supplier at a particular warehouse or sending an email to an employee, make sure you have a strong internet connection at all times. While you might not check your email more than once or twice a day, make sure you’re reachable. Maintain a hotspot connection through your smartphone. Hotspots will allow you to use your laptop to connect to the internet and it won’t matter where you are.
Get a mentor
It’s always wise to learn and take notes from others who have gone before you. Start by shadowing various entrepreneurs. Take a look at how they operate on a daily basis. Take note of the books they read, the conferences they attend, and the habits they cultivate. Make sure that you’re putting yourself in a position to serve a mentor as well. In a lot of cases, the mentor is someone who is already really busy. Find ways to serve them and make their day easier. Once you can provide value to their lives, they’ll eventually do the same with you.
Educate yourself
Be intentional about making sure you’re constantly educating yourself. Whether it’s once a week or once a month, find a new book to consume. Make sure the book is related to building your business and the art of outsourcing. Take courses and attend seminars that teach different components of running a lucrative business. If you plan on including dropshipping as a major part of your company’s strategy, read lots of books that teach you how to improve your skills and efforts in this arena. Always read newspapers, magazines, and columns that cover the latest in entrepreneurship, technology, and business.
Get into the habit of delegating
When you’re outsourcing a business, always remember that this means you can’t become the one who’s handling everything. In fact, this means that you’re solely calling a few shots and then, you’ll have to put a point person in place. For those who are used to being in charge, it can be difficult to let go of every single task. Avoid the temptation to micromanage the people within your company. When this happens, you’ll lose control and get sucked into a bad cycle of codependency. From the onset of the company, figure out your exit strategy so that your employees and clients aren’t relying on you to answer every question.