When I launched business strategy consulting for consultants, I thought professionals would naturally look for support when they started their business. Instead, they came to me when they hit the wall and were exhausted and frustrated. That point tended to be somewhere between 5-7 years in.

You see, in the beginning, you think you can figure it all out. Also, you might not have money to invest in a coach or business consultant when you are starting out. In the beginning you don’t know what you don’t know. That seemed to be the biggest obstacle. 

After having some success in your business (and running into a lot of walls), you may be tired and cranky. You may say to yourself, “If I have to work this hard, I might as well work for someone else.”

Entrepreneurs reach out to me saying they’ve been in their businesses for x years and they want to become an employee. I can definitely help them with that. Thanks to some interviews I did with Carol, I am an expert on the entrepreneur to employee transition. Sometimes, there’s a compelling reason and the entrepreneur does hire me to help them find a job.

But, more often, they decide they actually love their business and they’re just frustrated at the moment.

In that case, we dive in and fix their business. The questions I ask roughly follow this sequence:

  • What do you do easily and almost effortlessly?
  • Who are the clients you love to serve?
  • What types of clients naturally gravitate to you and your services?
  • What clients have gotten the most value from your services?
  • What makes you feel exhausted and want a nap?
  • What gets you excited when you think about it?

What I listen for are ways to combine the good stuff and minimize the stuff that’s causing overwhelm or exhaustion.

Do you need to hire someone to do the things that aren’t a good use of your time? Maybe an administrative assistant, bookkeeper, virtual assistant (VA), social media expert, or project manager might help?

Would you be happier focusing more deeply on a specific niche because you are currently marketing to everyone? (This is expensive in both time and money, and your messaging will be bland and boring if you’re trying to appeal to everyone.)

Are you saying the same things to all clients? If so, maybe you could create a membership, offer group coaching, or develop a formal training program to free up hours in your day?

While business pivot is a trite term at the moment, you may benefit from making one – pronto. One of the best parts about running a small business is you can be flexible. If you own the business, you should be doing something that you feel good about. It shouldn’t be sucking your soul dry. 

Sure, running a business will always be hard, but by adjusting your business or hiring the right help, you may actually enjoy more of the time you spend in your business.

Photo by Marl Clevenger on Unsplash