Learning new things I should have paid more attention to years ago!

About a year ago, I decided it might be time to step back and take stock of my business from a financial sustainability standpoint. I started Bucklesweet in 2008, but the client work and my personal life took precedence over learning business itself.

After doing some research and diving into Stacy Tuschl’s podcast, I invested in a three-day intensive on Knowing When It's Time To Uplevel Your Business And Let It Run Without You.

Amanda Sweet

Of course, who wouldn’t be intrigued by the title, I mean, what other CEO wants to have their business run without them? SIGN ME UP! I drank the Kool-Aid, I paid my first installment and I’ve been off and running since March.

This program offered me the chance to put systems in place like forecasting, learn about key performance indicators (KPIs), my critical number (i.e. how many clients I want for us at one time), project management tools and profit margins.

I’m finally putting long-term strategies in place for Bucklesweet and it’s about time! (I’ve only been in business since late 2008!)

Why did I not do this before? When I started Bucklesweet, was fast and furious. I had a two-month old andI was just laid off. Since I was already working from home, I decided to take the plunge. Out of the gate I had three clients – Telarc, the company that laid me off, well that was really Concord Music Group, the organist Cameron Carpenter and Turtle Island Quartet.

I discovered pretty quickly in the first few years that I was NOT good at everything. I hired a bookkeeper, which was a huge relief that someone else would handle all the checks and balances. I then began to work with a Financial Advisor, and again, it was great to unload the things that weren’t in my wheelhouse. The only downside was I left all ownership in their hands and proceeded to think that I didn’t need to actually be involved in all aspects of my business.

Fast forward 15+ years to finally carving out the space to think about Bucklesweet’s future and taking back ownership of some of the things that I ignored since they weren’t in my wheelhouse.

All of this leads me back to working with Well-Oiled Operations. I am taking ownership of the things that I never thought I was good at. I’m still hung up on some tools, but for once I feel that more permanent systems are in place. I have a better understanding of where I am going and where we were last year and the year before. Now, I can tell you what our net profit is, and if we are on track for meeting our annual revenue goals, so I’m going to call this a WIN!

Stay tuned for more insight into how our business is transforming. And you know what, it’s really fun to learn again, I missed it.