Does your summer break look like this??

Well friends, we're offically 2 weeks in to summer vacation.  Is your summer looking like this yet? Are you trying to run a small business, with a "few extra employees" thrown in to the mix?  Been there.  Done that.  Doing it right now.  In fact as I write this... this dude is crawling all over me!

Well, here are a few tricks I've learned over the years to keep your business moving... even when the kids are out of school!

1.  Have a routine.  Schedule your work for the same time every day, so that you and the kids know what to expect.

2.  Give the kids something to do.  You can't just expect kids to entertain themselves because you have things to do.  Give them a project.  Chores.  A Craft.  Something that will keep them busy so you can focus. Obviously I failed in this area today.  LOL. :)

3.  Take some time to ENJOY your kids.  Do something fun with your kids every day, so that they can see the fun side of mom.  And when you're enjoying time with them... focus on them 100%.  No laptop or cell phone allowed!  Go swimming, get some ice cream, or go for a hike.  Work on the "business" that really matters.... YOUR FAMILY!!!

Thanks to California Ballet for this great quote.  So true!

Comfort Food... It's What's for Dinner!

I love this SUPER EASY recipe for Hamburger Stew.  Its a great comfort food on a chilly night!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
2 potatoes, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 bag frozen veggies
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups elbow macaroni
4-6 cups water
4 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp basil leaves

In a large pot, brown ground beef and drain off any remaining fat.  Add all other ingredients, except macaroni.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add macaroni, and simmer 10 additional minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

My kids loved this... except the big one... he won't eat anything containing veggies.  Sheesh.

Have a good one!

SOURCE

Trust your Employees

Why is it important to trust your employees? 

I don't mean be so blinded by trust that you are unaware of what's happening in your business... but you must trust them to do what they've been asked to do. Let them do what you've hired them to do!

A while back I worked with a business owner who would assign an employee a task, and practically in the next breath ask someone else to do the same task.  One employee had been assigned the task of creating a marketing piece, and then another was asked to do the same project.  Neither of them knew for days that the other was working on it... and the owner couldn't even remember who they had assigned!!  This made the employees feel untrusted and unappreciated.  They felt like they weren't viewed as competent, and for that reason, someone else had been asked to pick up where they left off.  Super frustrating!!!

There are a few key elements required in trusting your employees.  Here are 5 tips that I've found:

1.  TRAINING
Provide your employees with adequate training.  Provide guidelines and job expectations.  Use an employee handbook.  Employees generally want to do a good job... and they want to know what's expected of them.

2.  ONGOING COMMUNICATION
Is there something new happening in your business this week?  Is there a new task or project that needs done?  Make sure all involved know what's going on.  Don't leave employees out of the loop and expect them to know what's happening.

3.  BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC
When assigning a task to an employee, give them clear instructions.  Employees are not mind readers.  Let them know exactly what you need done.  Nothing's worse than an employee spending hours on a project, only to find they didn't meet your expectations... because your expectations weren't clear.  That's a complete waste of time and money!

4.  FOLLOW UP AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Check in with employees to see their progress.  Trusting them doesn't mean that you don't need to check in once in a while.  Follow up with them and set deadlines for their projects. 

5.  APPRECIATION
Let your employees know you appreciate them when they do a great job. Everyone needs to feel appreciated.  It helps them want to work harder on the next project and live up to their potential.

By following these tips, you can create balance in your business.  You'll keep employees happy... and you'll see growth in your business!

Isn't this so true?

Source

Begin...

This is my all time favorite quote... by one of my favorite people.  To me, this is the first step in achieving success in ANYTHING.  You can't reach a goal if you don't know what you want... am  I right ladies??

So, since its Janaury and all... ask yourself this question:  What do I REALLY want my business to look like?  Like, when its perfect.  How many clients does it serve?  How much profit does it make?  What kind of impact does it make on the community?

That's where you start.  Make it specific.

And then get moving.  Make it happen.