Ask Christina First

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, Christina focuses on inventory distribution and your systems around your inventory. In particular, Christina talks about products that require a form of production which can include anything from t-shirts, books to doggie treats and pencils. Once you have decided as a business owner to sell products, a system needs to be set in place in order to make sure those products are in rotation as they need to be. A system will help you figure out what the cost is to make this product and how long of a shelf life it has. Now, in this fast past world we live in, developing products is much easier than it used to be however, there are still ways in which a product could be aiding in you loosing money instead of making money. In this episode you will learn:

1. What are the necessary steps in developing a system for your products?

2. What is the best way to organize and maintain a rotation system for your products.

3. What are the best ways in making sure the products you are selling are making you money.

Although this episode is focusing on physical products, please keep in mind that a service can also be a product. You can apply the same information towards the services you offer your clients. Products are an incredible way to make money and express your expertise, however a proper system will save you lots of money and time.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, Christina interviews Buddy Broome who is an attorney and real estate investor in the southern california area. Buddy began his career with obtaining his law degree from the University of San Diego before he was introduced to the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad.” Having at first no interest in the book, Buddy opened in one day out of boredom, not knowing that it would skyrocket him into the world of real estate investing. Fat forward to now, Buddy is a real estate investor, educator, lawyer amongst many things. In this interview Christina and Buddy get right down to the bone and talk about how real estate has bought Buddy financial freedom and what he does in order to make that happen. Understanding that cash flow is the ultimate goal for most investors, Buddy talks about how that cycle should play out and how important it is to know what you want. If you want a cash flow of $10,000 what do you need to do to ger there. This includes knowing what comes in and what goes out, what your risks are and also understanding that the return rate you are hoping for may be a lot harder to get than you think.

In this episode you will learn:


1. Who is Buddy Broome.

2. What are the necessary steps to take to determine what you truly want from investing.

3. What are all the ways in which you can profit and create financial freedom through investing in real estate.

https://www.buddybroome.com/

In this episode, Christina continues with Systemic Systems giving us the background on Peter Senege who was responsible for bringing the concept of systemic systems to the forefront in his book “The 5th Discipline” published in 1990. The core design of systemic systems boils down to culture and the culture related to how you run your business. When you walk into a store, let’s say a pet store or a gym, it’s the feeling that creates the culture which is a derivative of the systems that are in place. Christina takes us from the history of where the concept came from to how this affects your employee’s and how they function within the system you’ve created whether you know it or not. If you’ve developed your business in survival learning, that will eventually create the culture in which you and your employee’s move forward. Culturally people who will become employee’s aren't taught to create their own projects within the business. Employees are usually trained to rely on their boss or manager for direction and if you, the owner or manager developed the business in survival learning, this is what your employees will follow.

In this episode you will learn:

1. Who Peter Senge is and his influence on systemic systems.

2. How culture plays a huge role in systemic systems.

3. Why your systems create the foundation for your employees and why that can be a good or bad thing.

As you can tell Christina is a huge believer in systems and their benefit to your business. The culture you imply will be what your customers and employees feel. It’s your overall presence as a whole and this will be determined by how well you implement and manage your systems.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, she takes on a journey through the system of the manufacturer and the distributor and how that process and relationship is a prime example of a systemic system. Successful systems require successful habits that allow for proper tracking and monitoring. A great system to monitor to determine this is your cash flow management. Your ability to manage your cash flow can create a space that is positive and abundant or negative and straining. In her example of explaining the relationship between manufacturer and distributor, Christina points out how the system begins to deteriorate or become what we know as distribution or the process of it. Systems engage with more systems in order to create flow. Why Christina cares is because a lack of systems implements a lack in organization, follow through, and overall management. Christina knows that systems guide your business to the next step, which we assume all businesses have as goal.

In this episode you will learn:

1. How systems make or break your business.

2. Why the distributor and manufacturer example is extremely useful.

3. Tips on how to implement good system protocols and configuration.

Although systems can sound redundant, its a very crucial aspect to business and life. Sometimes systems aren't necessary, but when running a business and serving, systems will bring you peace and insight.

Are you a good hearted business owner that shys away from time management? In this episode Christina directs her attention on the good hearted business owner and talks about why a time management system is better suited for you. Time management can be daunting to start if you feel as though the natural flow of operation best suites you. Christina on the other hand challenges why this may not be true. As a good hearted business owner, your main goal should always be responsibility and accountability especially for those who are your employees or independent contractors working for you. Your overall time management will reflect how those you work with treat you and handle your assigned task to them. If you are too care free with your time, that will reflect in your responsiveness and overall management, which can in turn produce team mates who are careless. If this sounds something like you, it can all be changed my simply adding a time management system to your life. This will also deeply aid you in your personal care routine, which we all know is extremely crucial in our health and well being. The more organized and caring you are towards your time, the more that will be reflected in how others work with and for you.

In this episode you will learn:

1. Tactics to help the good hearted business owner create a time management system.

2. Discover why time management aids in personal care.

3. How your teammates actions reflect your overall structure and time management plan.

Christina once again helps us out by taking us back to time management and engaging on how important it is for a small business. Sometimes the authentic, natural way of doing things can cause hiccups. Those hiccups can be fixed and altered by simply adding a time management system to your business and life.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we talk about client emergencies and how they affect how you run your business. Can you ever remember a time where your client made you feel frantic and out of control? Well that happens when we fall into the trap of allowing our clients emergencies to become ours. The goal is to remain in peace while you are bombarded with these issues. A key to doing this is my responding at a time that is suitable for you even if that means not right away. A clients emergency can surface at any given time and it doesn't make sense for you to disturb your business in order to immediately attend to this matter. The question you have to ask yourself is “is this okay for my business?” Determine whether or not the situation truly affects your business while also considering your feelings towards the matter. A great way for finding out how many times you’re disrupted a day is by creating a time log. For five days keep a log of how often you were hijacked. This will help you figure out how much time you need to set aside a day, week, or month to help you with emergencies and interruptions.

In this episode you will learn:

1. Why your clients emergencies are not yours.

2. Proper ways to handle the situation so that you remain calm and in peace.

3. How to create a time log to help figure out the time you need to set aside for emergencies.

When people are in a state of urgency they typically tend to release that energy onto everyone else. As business owner it's your job to handle all situations in a friending and professional way even them someone is in an emergency.

In this episode of Ask Christina 1st, we dive into the importance of Urgent vs Important. As we know all successful business have a good handle on what we call time management. However things arise daily that may through a wrench in that well thought out daily schedule that may require our immediate attention. This leaves us no choice, but to step away from that well prepared task list. Christina helps us understand the difference between urgent and important. Urgent usually comes about in the moment for example something urgent can be, a client panicking, a misplaced invoice, missing inventory, etc… Urgent matters require immediate attention and cannot be held off. Things that are important for your business are inventory, bookkeeping, social media, marketing, upkeep, etc… Important matters are required to maintain your business, but are not urgent.

In this episode you will be able to:

1. Decipher urgent from important

2. Learn the quadrants of urgent vs important

3. Ways to maintain and handle those matters as they arrive.

4. When it becomes necessary to delegate.

Christina has been digging deep into time management and Urgent vs. Important is vitals because this relates to our everyday life that we cannot control. It helps tremendously to know what is considered urgent and what’s considered important.

In this episode of Ask Christina First, we explore how to delegate and the steps you can take to make that transition. When your small business grows, there are task and projects that will require outside input regardless if you are capable of doing them yourself. This can be a difficult changeover for those who have been doing everything on their own. Deciding what you want to handle and what others can do can be a daunting task for those who are attached to their business. A great way to get this moving is by creating 3 lists. The first is what are your strengths? The second is, what is your nature? And the third is what do you like to do/expert at and does it make you money? These 3 lists will help you organize the task that require your hand and those that can be delegated to outside sources. A good example is bookkeeping and accounting work. Sending that off for another to handle is simple and may not require too much input aside from organization and communication. Once you’ve made it to this point, create an appropriate protocol that will allow the delegation process a smooth transition. That protocol will include delegating in detail. The main focus when communicating to this new person is, what is end result and can you do it. At the end of the day that is the main component in delegation. All you need to know is can the job be done and when.

In this episode you will learn:

1. Why delegation is crucial to a growing company.

2. The 3 list that will help you make that transition.

3. What are the task that require your attention and what can be done by others.

Delegating can be a hard task for many, especially for those who have handled most if not all of their business matters alone. Delegation is inevitable for growth, which is a great sign that you are moving forward.

During our last leg of Christina’s Time Management series, we end with understanding the importance of shared systems and project delegation. When running a business, one of your greatest assets will be how well you communicate with your employees. As the owner of the company, it is your responsibility to deliver follow up and feedback so that your employees feel a sense of appreciation and inclusion. Creating shared systems will be the governing factor for proper communication, take management and project delegation. All too often, we tend to demand project completion without fully understanding or following up with what our employees are already working on. Proper project delegation requires 3 parts that will help alleviate tension and lack of empathy. Before a project is distributed, it is your job to make sure you have a clear understanding of what the outcome is. Handing over a well thought out project saves you time and minimizes unnecessary back and forth. This allows you and the person you're sharing a project with much needed clarity and well thought out to do’s. It’s also important you create an agreed upon system so that all communication and tasks are easily accessible to all parties. The greatest takeaway from Christina’s time management series is understanding that it all boils down to your sense of overload. Time management itself is useless if you are not able to focus and maintain that focus until project completion. It is designed as a guide to help you organize your workload and be mindful of what’s most important. Each person is allocated the same amount of time each day. What you do with that time will determine how well you know yourself and how well you are committed to being focused.

In this episode you will learn:

1. Why proper project delegation is so important and how shared systems play a role.

2. Why feedback and follow up is crucial in project management.

3. Why creating a desired outcome will create flow and clarity for the project, you and your employee’s.

4. Why time management is useless unless you are focused and able to visualize the outcome.

Christina’s time management series is truly for those who are ready to take their business and life to the next level. It is about growth and being able to show up and get things done. Time management is necessary for the development of projects, but also the development of self which is the primary culprit in discovering who and what we want to be. Allow this series to be a how to for discovering the importance of shared systems, employee appreciation and personal development.

We are back at it with Implementing a Time Management System. As time management continues to be a very important topic for Christina, we continue the conversation around getting things done. Whether your running a small business or running a household, task are inevitable and getting them done is a must. Christina begins this show with breaking down the mind dump concept, which is designed to help you gain clarity for your everyday task down to your long term projects. For your everyday task, handling the most important duties first is a must. This will alleviate the many pressures that come with getting things done. Task that are the most important should have priority over things that don’t need your immediate attention. Maybe a bit of discipline is required to do this, but it will get you where you need to be. Be aware that of that task list you create everyday, only about 50% of it will get completed and that is okay. The goal is to get everything out and focus on things that require your immediate attention. The mind dump exercises should be done every morning as soon as you step foot in your office or work space. The next big element is doing a 6 month review of where you are in your business. This requires you to take a deeper look at your projects and if those projects are in still in alignment with your purpose. 6 months is a decent amount of time to determine where certain projects and task stand in your business. Sometimes projects and task can naturally change over time, which will require an evaluation to determine its importance or lack thereof. Its vital for any business to do periodic project/task assessments to make sure they are on track and moving according to plan. On occasion a project or task can lose its momentum and in that case if you don’t want to rid it completely, you can add it to your someday or maybe list for the future. The most crucial part of this concept is being honest and ready for revision. The key is making sure you are 100% aware of what needs to be done and not being afraid to remove things or add them as needed.

In this episode you will learn:

1. Tactics for a proper mind dumping morning routine.

2. Determine what task/projects hold priority over others.

3. Creating list to keep your tasks and projects under control.

As you can see Christina finds time management to be the one of the most important factors of a successful business. As you begin to implement these steps, you will notice a significant change that is necessary for not only your company’s growth, but for you as well.