KashFlow’s SME Health Checklist
We believe every business owner should be able to enjoy the great things a fresh start can bring. So we’ve developed a business-health checklist to help small business owners work smarter and make the most of the coming months.
1) Look after you
Self interest tends to take a back seat while trying to drive a business forward or get a new startup running. Small business owners particularly fall foul by putting so much of their passion, blood sweat and tears into their businesses, incorrectly assuming that they are ‘healthy’ if their business is doing well.
So, how do you ensure you are taking care of ‘you’ and remaining fit for business? A good personal routine is the best starting point, including:
- Eat nutritious breakfasts
- Take time to stay fit
- Zero notifications at night
- Set a sleep reminder & get enough shut-eye
- Listen to your body
2) Simplify and Streamline
Summer is the perfect season to take a step back and get excited again about your business. It’s a great time to evaluate how far you have come and where you want to go, as well as looking at the opportunities to reinvigorate or improve your business. Every opportunity for change is an opportunity for growth. Here are five things to think about to help you streamline and simplify.
- Passion injection – revisit what it was that inspired you to set up your business and take a moment to sense-check your values and mission.
- Get lean and mean – take the time to go through your business with a fine toothcomb and eliminate what you don’t need.
- Make the most of digital technology – think about where you can become more efficient and potentially how you could be using cloud-based services which make state-of-the-art technology available to all sizes of businesses.
- Think before you buy – make sure you aren’t wasting time and money on software that isn’t delivering what you need.
- A new look for summer – re-launching your updated brand to your audience shows that you are agile, strong and staying current.
3) Get the job done
When it comes to seeing results, there are often two groups that business owners fall into – the group that gets things done, and the group that doesn’t. The word builds confidence, gives us a sense of accomplishment and leads to better results, and therefore greater success. So, how can you make sure you get the job done and deliver to your business objectives as well as those of your customers? Here’s five things to think about:
- Make bold decisions – consider the consequences of your actions or inaction and decide on a decision-making strategy you feel is best for the whole business.
- Lead – give your team direction and support but also empower them to get the job done.
- Get things done on time – make sure you have a solid project management system in place, which allows you to map out deliverables with clear timings.
- Automate and save time – automating processes such as invoicing and payroll can allow small businesses to save resources, and eliminate human error.
- Time is money – your time is your most precious commodity, so make sure you are making the most of it and getting the right things done.
4) Stay ahead of the game
When talking to most business owners many will tell you they want to stay ahead of the curve. However, in a business world where continuous change is the norm, how is this possible? What sort of things do small businesses need to consider implementing in their businesses to stay competitive? – here are our five top tips:
- Make analytics work for you – make sure you harness and turn your online data into useful insights to ensure you are making the most of your business.
- Customer Surveys – ask your regular customers and clients to complete anonymous customer satisfaction surveys to help point you in the direction of what they really need from you to be happy.
- Keep an eye on the Competition – understanding the evolution of your competitors will help you gauge what is working in your market and how you can utilise any further opportunities.
- Data is king – review the data you currently have to identify trends in the market and possible revenue opportunities.
- Know your figures – Make sure you keep on top of your figures and know how much money is going through your business.