Business and bubbles

Words KATH ORMAN

How is your business travelling?

Are you ticking all the boxes, spending each day in line with your values? Do you feel content at the end of each day, knowing that you are making a difference in the world? If the answer is ‘yes’, that is fantastic, but are you also profitable, and is the business growing?

Running a business can be a very lonely place at times, when you are overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done, and you have limited resources and not enough hours in the day.

My business has been running for 19 years, and I have had many ‘challenges’ and learning opportunities along the way.

If you are trying to manage everything yourself, it can be exhausting as well as overwhelming. I learnt very quickly to identify my talents and then delegate or outsource to others, so that I could spend more time doing what I do best. Goals & Dreams now has a

total staff of eight working together as a team. We moved offices in February, and I was both humbled by and grateful for the way everyone pulled together, rolled up their sleeves and made it happen – all whilst providing excellent service to our clients.

We have built great systems and documented our procedures over time. However, it didn’t happen overnight. Everyone is responsible for their part of the process, which I liken to a production line. Let’s imagine we are a wine bottling company. It’s someone’s job to wash the bottles, another to put the wine in, someone else puts on the label, while another puts the lid on and another puts the bottles into a carton. You get the picture. If someone doesn’t take responsibility for their role, all the bottles come crashing down.

We frequently ‘down tools’ and take time out to work on our ‘factory’ processes, with everyone contributing and feeling part of the team. Also, having team members who are skilled

in different areas is vital, especially if you have a small team. The more multiskilled your team, the more the business hums.

In the early days, I tried to help everyone without being adequately compensated. I underestimated my value and the difference I was making to my clients’ lives and situations. We have a huge postcard board on which we display cards sent to us from happy clients who are enjoying the journey and achieving their goals and dreams. Don’t forget to celebrate your achievements and milestones along the way and open that bottle of champagne!

KATH ORMAN is a Senior Financial Planner of her company Goals & Dreams Financial Planning Pty Ltd, which is an authorised representative of Charter Financial Planning Limited AFSL 234665. If you would like to know more email: kath.orman@goalsanddreams.com.au or phone: (07) 3350 9595.