You’ve finished the heavy lifting of founding the company and making it profitable. Now comes the even harder part of keeping it going and growing? How could management be tougher than building a business? For one thing, you’re probably not as good a manager as you are an entrepreneur. You do so much of the “creative” stuff intuitively, but the day-to-day operational stuff requires thought and planning and … work!
I get it. I understand how transitioning from visionary can be difficult. But it’s not impossible, and, you know what, you may even enjoy it.
More to the point, this transition is necessary to your continued success. Nothing kills more businesses than an owner who can’t manage once the customers start coming. You need to be able to give your employees and your business a strategy to map out what success will continue to look like going forward.
First, while you still need a vision, you also need a mission. A clear mission. Sure, you have a great idea, a new thing to offer or a better way to do an old thing. But that won’t be new forever. Besides, people are often not that jazzed about “new and improved”. Convincing them requires more than a vision. It requires a well-planned and well-executed day-to-day mission.
Next, get good with the details, or hire someone you trust who can. If you are great with big picture stuff, but can’t manage details, that doesn’t mean you get a pass. The small stuff will kill you, so it needs to be mastered. Plus, understanding the details of your business and place in the market will enable your entrepreneurial brain to work on ways to improve that standing and introduce more New and Better into your market. “Details” may even give you an entirely new product line.
Finally, don’t get so innovation crazy that you break a good thing. If your business is working, let it work. Stop tinkering. Work on ways to do what you do well, precisely and mistake free. That will take all the time you have and keep you from tinkering so much you break something already working perfectly.
