How to Create a Self-Growing Business (With Systems)

How to Create a Self-Growing Business (With Systems) - Predictable Profits

Join Thousands of CEOs Getting Free Daily Business Coaching Videos

Want practical tips, strategies and ideas that our clients use to scale their businesses?  We invite you to sign up for our free daily business coaching videos where you’ll get in-the-trenches insights that drive huge results.  Click here to sign up.

There’s no question that a successful business takes hard work. But what if there was a way to make your business work for you instead of the other way around? 

A self-growing business requires effective systems. 

With systems in place to automate and streamline your operations, you can focus on scaling your business while it runs on autopilot. 

Systems allow you to replicate your successes and make consistent progress even when you’re not around. They allow you to drive growth without the company being too dependent on you.

In this post, we show you how to develop robust business systems – to create more leverage and bring in more sales – even when you’re not there to oversee operations.

Do You Find Yourself Stuck In a Business That is Too Dependent on You?

True business owners can go on vacation forever because they own a system, not a job. If the business owner is on vacation, the money still comes in - Predictable Profits

Now, when we talk about business owners and entrepreneurs, especially those who have achieved a moderate degree of success, we look at two groups:

First, you have business owners making plenty of money, but they’re stressed, overworked, and constantly attached to their smartphones. 

These folks feel like they just can’t get away — eating lunches at their desks, often working holidays and weekends, and often missing activities such as coaching or watching their kids’ games. 

Then there’s the second group of entrepreneurs who genuinely love what they do and just want to make more money. 

However, their business isn’t growing fast enough. And since they’re stuck in mundane daily operations, they don’t have time to figure out strategies for driving new revenue. 

In both cases, these entrepreneurs are stuck in a business that’s too dependent on them. 

Many people build businesses because they believe in personal freedom. They seek to make lots of money. Some dream of extended time with friends and family, playing golf, and traveling. 

But when reality sets in, many business owners discover that they become enslaved to the company and work more hours than their employees instead of having freedom. 

Over time, they get less excited about work and running the business. 

Building a business can be a great way to achieve personal freedom and financial success. However, it’s important to make sure that your business isn’t too dependent on you. 

If you find yourself working long hours and putting in more effort than your employees, it may be time to reassess your current situation.

Remember, the goal is to build a successful company that gives you the freedom to live the life you want, so don’t get stuck in a scenario that doesn’t offer that.

Growing a business starts by understanding the basics and then building on this knowledge. Read more about next-level growth strategies in this related feature: “The Predictable Profits Guide to Growing Your Business.”

Why You Want/Need a Self-Growing Business

Six Things That Systemizing Your Business Can Do For You - Predictable Profits

A self-growing business reduces your dependence on key people.

Sure, you can build a business that relies on a few key superstars. However, this isn’t a scalable scenario.

You can also turn an average worker into a high-performing team player with a self-growing business. And you can reduce training times for employees as well. 

You’re also able to produce consistent, predictable revenue. 

And when you systemize your business, it becomes easier to scale. You can grow with less time and money while driving more extraordinary results and working fewer hours.

You can build a self-managed, self-growing business that pulls you out of the minutiae of daily operations and lets you focus more of your time on growth.

Read more about it here:

What Systems Are All About

What does a systemized business look like - Predictable Profits

Dr. W. Edwards Deming, credited with transforming the car industry in Japan from a postwar wreck to one of the world’s strongest economies, once said, “A bad system will beat a good person every time.”

To truly systemize your business, you need checklists, flowcharts, manuals, and technology.

You must make your processes detailed enough so that anyone with a baseline skill level can repeatedly produce the same results.

This means your systems should include step-by-step processes with text explanations and images, graphics, or links to videos. This way, any employee can see completed procedures in their preferred format.

Think about a recipe. When you build a system and follow a systemized process, you’re essentially laying the ingredients and supplies people need to complete a task.

You tell them the order and what’s needed at each step of the process. This allows anyone to create a consistent output as long as they follow the instructions.

This is especially important with complex systems when producing consistent results requires specific steps.

The Five Rules of Systems (That Help Grow Your Business)

As your business grows, it becomes increasingly important to have systems in place to help your operations run smoothly.

Having efficient systems can make all the difference between a thriving business and one that struggles to keep up with the demand.

Deming also stressed, “Uncontrolled variation is the enemy of quality.” And when it comes to systems for growing your business, this couldn’t be more true.

At the heart of a profitable business are five rules for creating effective systems:

  1. Your systems must be designed so that anyone with a basic skill level can successfully complete the task.
  2. Your systems must be easy to follow.
  3. Your systems must be written down or documented in some way.
  4. Your systems must deliver predictable and consistent results every time with zero variation.
  5. Your systems should use automation wherever possible.

To illustrate, think about McDonald’s. Whether in Boston or Sacramento, you get the same experience and food. There’s minimal variation.

Remember, a great system produces consistent and predictable results every time.

McDonald’s is one of the world’s most successful companies, but not because they have the best-tasting food or make the best burgers. They’re successful because they have highly developed systems that produce consistent results at the foundation of the business.

McDonald’s has systems that allow any pimply-faced high school kid to produce the same results, regardless of location or language.

And you can do the same in your business.

What Tasks Can I Automate in My Business Today?

Business systems don’t have to be complicated or time-consuming to create.

Once you have a few critical systems in place, you can save time by automating tasks, allowing you to focus on revenue-generating activities.

Here are several processes and workflows you can automate and systemize:

  • Lead Generation
  • Sales Conversion
  • Client Services
  • Selling Process
  • Production
  • Social Media
  • Operations
  • Product Design/Development
  • Lead Nurturing
  • Multi-channel Communication (text, direct mail, email, etc.)
  • Segmenting
  • New Client Onboarding
  • Keep billing up-to-date
  • Cycling offers

What you can systematize is only limited by your imagination. 

You can even use hybrid solutions that combine manual and automated tasks.

Of course, the more you automate, the less time and resources you need for your processes, allowing for greater focus on building your business.

Some things you can automate in your business today - Predictable Profits

What Can I Do to Start Systemizing My Business Right Now?

You now understand the importance of systems to streamline your operations. But where do you start? And what can you do right now to get the ball rolling?

Decide what you want to systemize first.

What do you want your business system to accomplish? Look for processes or workflows that take the most time, require the most skill, or have the most impact on your business.

Put your system into action.

Get your systems running to make processes easier for yourself and your team (so you can all focus on more important tasks).

Track and improve your system.

Remember, successful systems are constantly monitored and enhanced. Check your processes for minimal variation to ensure consistency.

Bonus: Build a culture of building systems.

Encourage your team to constantly think about automation, documentation, and improving and streamlining your workflows and processes. This can lead to discoveries that keep improving your company.

How Do I Get Started With Systemizing My Business Today - Predictable Profits

Think you need some extra help building systems and get started with your self-growing business?

Consider having a business coach work with you. A good business coach will provide you with a positive (substantial) ROI within 12 months– often much less.

It’s not unheard of for a small business to double its revenue within a few months. Read more about it here: “3 Telltale Signs It’s Time To Hire A Business Coach.”

A Final Word About Creating a Self-Growing Business

Business systems are essential for any company wanting to scale and grow. Managing employees, customers, finances, and other aspects of the business can be difficult without such systems. 

The best way to create a self-growing business is by implementing systems that help the company run more efficiently. With the right systems in place, you can: 

  • increase your income, 
  • scale your business with predictability and consistency, and
  • build a company that’s not dependent on you or a few key employees.
Build a culture of building systems - Predictable Profits

Be part of our ever-growing community of seven- and eight-figure business owners:

  • And if you haven’t already, sign up for our daily business coaching video series (by entering your email address below).
what now?

Continue reading for more resourceful information.

UNLOCK PREDICTABLE GROWTH:

Empower Your Team & Diversify Your Strategy Today