So, you are ready to build your business up to the next level, which is great! Ready to get to work grinding out hours of hard work on your business? Just make sure Melanie Duncan, founder of Custom Greek Threads and inspiration to countless entrepreneurs, does not find out. Of course, it is not that Duncan does not want other entrepreneurs to succeed, she just wants to make sure they are doing it as best they can.
“If you don’t learn how to effectively work ‘on’ your business, instead of ‘in’ your business, you won’t be able to strategically grow and you’ll sacrifice the quality of life you deserve.” – Melanie Duncan
So, what exactly is the big deal about working on your business rather than in it? Think of it this way, exercising at the gym is putting in the work and effort as dictated by the machine, class or schedule. This is the “in.” Conversely, most people do not just show up at the gym and wander around until something strikes their fancy. Instead, they work “on” their routine before ever arriving so that they have a clear and direct goal in mind.
Let’s translate this back to the business world. Working in your business consists of all of the necessary tasks: accounting, marketing, customer service, etc. This work is crucial for maintaining a business and its reputation, but it is often not enough to help it grow to the next level. For that, you will need to work on it by stepping back and reevaluating the business plan, products and other areas of potential improvement.
Time is an understandably precious commodity for entrepreneurs, and working on a business is not a five-minute task, but this does not mean that owners have an excuse to send it to the bottom of their to-do list. For those who want to see real, sustainable growth within their business, it might just be time to step out in order to see the bigger picture.
