The Big Picture: Small Actions That Can Lead to Your Dream Business

There are opportunities all around you if you look with a creative eye. Finding opportunities in your business isn’t about working harder, it’s about getting creative, listening, and looking at your business from different perspectives.

When you’re busy running your business day to day it’s almost impossible to step back and see the bigger picture. Especially when the effects of the pandemic are still deeply felt by artists, entrepreneurs, and small business owners across the country. Sometimes the best you can do is to stay afloat and paddle for your life like a dog thrown in the deep end. 

You feel like you’re working 20 hours a day, running around like crazy, neglecting your family and friends, and still not making any progress. At times like these you’re barely able to give enough to everyone who needs a part of you . . . your clients, your spouse, your kids, your boss, your collaborators . . . and it makes you feel like a total failure. 

I’ve been there and it’s no fun. There have been times when my wife missed me and wished I could spend more time with her, but I’d be up at 5am and working until 10pm with barely enough time to eat almond butter out of the jar standing over my sink for lunch. This is no way to live and no way to work. I wasn’t giving my best to anyone and knew something had to change.

If you’re anything like me, then you feel like you have to do everything yourself. I’m a total type A perfectionist and hate giving up control of any part of my business. I know I can learn how to do anything myself, from web development, to copywriting, to product package design . . . you name it, I’m sure I could teach myself how to do it. But just because I can do it, doesn’t mean I should. 

After over 6 years of working for myself, several of which were true solopreneur years, I can confidently say that I held back my company's growth by not asking for help when I needed it and not delegating tasks that I really should have been doing. 

If you find yourself in this dark and dreary place, I suggest you take a step back and look at the bigger picture. It’s so easy to get bogged down working in every little nook and cranny of your business that you lose sight of what you’re really after. 

You have a business, which is an incredible start and the hardest part. Now we need to help you visualize your dream business so that we can begin to break down the steps towards making that your reality. 

First, let’s take a look at where you are:

• What’s working in your business? 
• What’s not working in your business? 
• How do you spend your time? List out the tasks and activities you do on a regular basis. 
• How much money does your business make? 
• What types of products/services do you offer? 
• What kinds of clients or customers do you serve?
• How many people do you have working for you, either freelance, part-time, or full-time? 

Next, let’s create a clear vision of where you want to be: 

• How do you spend your time? List out the tasks and activities you do on a regular basis. 
• How much money does your business make? 
• What types of products/services do you offer? 
• What kinds of clients or customers do you serve?
• How many people do you have working for you, either freelance, part-time, or full-time? 

Wouldn’t you feel so much better if your business looked more like this dream business? No doubt you’d be making more money, doing more of the things you enjoy and less of the things you don’t, and you’d have more time to spend with your friends and family. 

Now make a list of the things that have to change in your business in order to go from your current business to your dream business. 

• Do your products or services need to change?
• Do you need to create or improve systems in your business?
• Are there things you can eliminate to simplify your business for you and your customers?
• Are there things you can outsource or delegate to someone else?

Make a list of all the things you need to change, add, or cut to get your business to the place you want to be. And it’s not going to happen overnight, but this list will help you get a clear sense of what actions you need to take to start building the business and lifestyle you want.

Once you have your list, however long it is, pick out ONE THING you can do right now that will move you closer to your dream business. It could be finding a freelancer on Fiverr to set up proper tracking for your marketing campaigns, or hiring an assistant to answer customer support questions, or reaching out to a potential partner . . . whatever it is, just do it. Then do another ONE THING tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. Soon you’ll find that you’re closer to your dream business than you think!

Turning your business into one that you love takes vision and daily action. It’s so easy to put these small optimizations off but overtime these small problems build up and become the business you have right now. 

And if you’re happy with your business at the moment, use these exercises to make your business even better! There are always opportunities to increase revenue, cut costs, save time, build a better company culture, and level-up your business and your life in the process.