Scale Your Small Business

Thanks for tuning into the Scale Your Small Business Podcast with your host, Jillian Flodstrom. Today, we're taking a close look at DISC profiles. These assessments have the ability to offer insight into your communication, as well as your teams. This powerful tool can lead to better, healthier personal and working relationships. Let's talk about it.

DISC profiles get their name from four distinct categories of personality types: decisive, interactive, stabilizing, and cautious. Each of these aspects play a key role in how an individual communicates, gets work done, and generally move throughout their world.

Understanding DISC profiles not only equips you with knowledge of yourself and others, but it helps you identify traits that can help you see what kind of communication would be best suited for the person you're working with.

In a sales environment, chances are you'll be in a situation where you're making a sales call in some form. This is a great place to see different personalities within the DISC profile in action.

For example, a decisive person would want a sales call to be short, sweet, and to the point. An interactive person would want to let the conversation go longer--similarly, a stabilizing person would let the conversation as long as it had to be. While a cautious person would rather get the cliff notes and know the facts, no matter the situation.

Making purchases is the same way--these concepts are personality types and how individuals interact with the universe.

Decisive: Short and sweet

Interactive: Not cut off or rushing

Stabilizing: No pressure

Cautious: Important details only

Shoot Jillian a DM to get the visual of the DISC system and to chat further into how this incredible tool can be utilized.

Key Takeaways:

1. DISC profiles get their name from four distinct categories of personality types: decisive, interactive, stabilizing, and cautious.
2. Understanding DISC profiles not only equips you with knowledge of yourself and others, but it helps you identify traits that can help you see what kind of communication would be best suited for the person you're working with.

Decisive: Short and sweet

Interactive: Not cut off or rushing

Stabilizing: No pressure

Cautious: Important details only

This week on the Scale Your Small Business Podcast with your host, Jillian Flodstrom, we're breaking down hiring a virtual assistant or freelancer. There's a lot to unpack when you start to consider outsourcing work that means a lot to you, and even more logistical things to keep in mind. But with the right attitude and a little insight, you'll be happy you have the help--and talent--that's out there.

A question that's often asked is "how do I pay my freelancers and virtual assistants?" First things first--the chances are you're hiring these individuals to make your life easier. So why make it harder than it has to be?

Different platforms and services offer different methods of payment for their freelancers. Places like Upwork and Fiverr use an escrow system, which is when payment for a project is held by a third-party, offering the protection of your approval of the final product, as well as security that the money has already been deposited for the freelancer.

In the end, what's important is that you find a service that works for you. Consider exchange rates, transfer rates, deposit time, automatic payments, and security. All of these aspects have a major impact on the relationship you have with your freelancer or VA. Especially if you're hiring outside of the US, there are some important things to research. Remember, you're aiming to make everyone's lives easier.

Knowing the numbers before you look to hire is crucial. Some rates to consider: If you're just looking for a general virtual assistant, someone to maybe help you go through emails and other general tasks, $450 to $700 a month. If you're looking for someone to write articles, content, things like that, that goes up significantly. If you're looking for someone full-time, that might be five to $700 a month. For blogs or social media, $500. Press releases, six to $800. eBooks, between $700 to a thousand. A full-time SEO specialist, $800. A full-time web developer, $800 to a thousand a month. A graphic artist full-time would be $700 to a thousand dollars a month.

Finding the right fit for your business can be daunting, but using services like Virtual Staff Finder can make your life much, much easier. Through this service, you can have people found for you who align with the work you're looking to have done and the culture you have at your company. DISC assessments, English proficiency, and other important aspects of their work are all considered.

In the end, it's all about being clear and concise about expectations when searching, hiring, and paying a virtual assistant or freelancer. You get what you pay for, so be sure to do your due diligence or risk paying the price later on.

Key Takeaways:

1. You're hiring these individuals to make your life easier. So why make it harder than it has to be?
2. Consider exchange rates, transfer rates, deposit time, automatic payments, and security. All of these aspects have a major impact on the relationship you have with your freelancer or VA.
3. services like Virtual Staff Finder can make your life much, much easier. Through this service, you can have people found for you who align with the work you're looking to have done and the culture you have at your company. DISC assessments, English proficiency, and other important aspects of their work are all considered.
4. You get what you pay for, so be sure to do your due diligence or risk paying the price later on.

scaleyoursmallbusiness.org/freecall

This week, Jillian is tackling overwhelm. So many people are finding themselves with too much on their plate, not enough hours in the day, and become paralyzed by the number of tasks that pile up, seemingly out of nowhere. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and today we're talking about systems that can get you through your day.

Before we dive into Jill's Get Clear System, it's always important to remind ourselves that 'no.' is a complete sentence all by itself. Not every 'no' needs an explanation.

The first step in the Get Clear System is Collect. This step has different sub-steps to it, one being getting a planner or notebook and filling it with every meeting, sticky note, thought, whatever it is you have in your brain. Then, put everything into your current, up to date calendar so nothing slips through the cracks. Gather everything into one space.

The second step is List. In this step, you'll want to list out everything that you gathered in your last step. Don't worry about organizing it and give yourself time to list things out--you'll probably come up with a few things after a while of wringing out your brain.

Three, Evaluate. This is a big one. Within this step, you're first going to go through your list and itemize it by anything that has a firm, date, deadline, anything that makes you money, or any tasks that you can accomplish in less than two minutes. For those tasks that take over two minutes, we're going to formulate a system that will help you through that task. From there, you're going to engage. Do you need to reach out to any members of your team? Add to your team? If these are big tasks, consider delegation. Then, estimate. Take a hard look at that task and give yourself an estimate of how long you think it will take to complete.

The fourth step is Act. That means go through your list and do everything that takes two minutes or less. Next, delegate anything that is outside of your skillset. Then, schedule any remaining tasks on your calendar. When you schedule things and stick to them, sometimes you'll get a bonus if you complete a task sooner than you thought it would take.

The final step in Get Clear is to Review. Did you reach your goal? And if not, how much closer did you get? What worked and what didn't? What do I need to improve on? How do I feel about my progress?

Any new system is going to take a little while to adjust to, but be cognizant of those feelings, allow them to be felt, and see what you can do to improve in the future. Don't just try something once and give up. This is the long game. So just like if you were training for a marathon, you wouldn't give up after your first mile.

Key Takeaways:

1. Get Clear: Collect, List, Evaluate, Act, Review.
2. 'No.' is a complete sentence all by itself. Not every 'no' needs an explanation.
3. Any new system is going to take a little while to adjust to. Be cognizant of those feelings, allow them to be felt, and see what you can do to improve in the future.

This week on the Scale Your Small Business Podcast, Jillian is breaking down best practices for storing, sharing, and saving important information. In a professional world increasingly dictated by technological advancement, it's crucial that you stay ahead of the curve when it comes to taking care of your business's virtual and online data. Let's talk about some of the easiest tools you can employ today to get started.

There are a few different possibilities for sharing and saving files for your business, the two most helpful being G-Suite and Dropbox. Today, we're going to focus on Dropbox.

While Dropbox has a free version, the paid option has a fair share of beneficial aspects that you may find useful. This version allows you to easily recover deleted, manipulated, or otherwise messed-with files. No matter what happens, you are always in control of your data.

Dropbox also has some solid security, but always remember to do your own research first. Dropbox offers a dual authentication service that will prompt anyone signing in or out to use two forms of identification to authorize their login. This way your files stay secure, especially if you have a large team all over the world.

Also helpful if you have a large team, remote or not, is how easy it is to share files. You can download them in different places, make edits, upload data for your team or for your review, and more. Dropbox is also available offline. That means all your files are available anytime, anywhere.

Everything on Dropbox is saved to the cloud, which makes your files safer, more accessible, and easier to use. If you've got multiple devices, you can download them or access them online depending on your hard drive space. You can upload from any device as well!

Key Takeaways:

1. Dropbox allows you to easily recover deleted, manipulated, or otherwise messed-with files. No matter what happens, you are always in control of your data.
2. Dropbox also has some solid security, offering a cloud-based saving method and a dual authentication service.
3. If you have a large team, remote or not, Dropbox makes it easy to share files. You can upload or download from many different places. It's available offline, which means all your files are available anytime, anywhere.

Thanks for joining us for this week's episode of the Scale Your Small Business Podcast with your host, Jillian Flodstrom. The journey of building and scaling a business is filled with a few dangerous pitfalls that can spell doom for your business. However, it's certainly possible to get ahead of those problems and prepare yourself and the work you do so you can grow rapidly, and in a healthy way.

The first challenge you may have to overcome is identifying busy work vs. productive work. Are you actually accomplishing tasks, or are you occupying yourself with things that could wait? Constantly reorganizing and being in a state of perpetual adjusting simply won't pay the bills. Focus on what you need to first, otherwise you can create a bottleneck and slow the entire process of growth.

Another mistake that you may encounter is simply networking too much. Overnetworking can happen easily, but it's important to recognize that this too can become busywork. Consider if the networking you're doing is moving the needle. Don't get sucked into situations where you are providing more than you're getting from things like networking groups, etc.

Another thing--don't expect your employees to love your business the same way you do. It's your baby, it's your blood, sweat, and tears. They may not understand that. Communicate with them the importance of the work they're doing and it'll go smoothly.

Make sure you're not spending money without realizing it. Check your accounts regularly and ensure that you know where your money is going. Avoid paying subscriptions you no longer use and disallow things to slip through the cracks.

Try not to use your personal cell phone for business work. This opens a pandora's box of problems that blur the line between your home and work life.

Your business needs to be able to run without you there. Don't wait for an accident or emergency to test it. Delegate, delegate, delegate. Allow and trust your team to perform the tasks your business needs to survive at the same quality you would if you were there.

Key Takeaways:

1. Identify busy work vs. productive work. Are you actually accomplishing tasks, or are you occupying yourself with things that could wait?
2. don't expect your employees to love your business the same way you do. It's your baby, it's your blood, sweat, and tears. They may not understand that.
3. Your business needs to be able to run without you there. Don't wait for an accident or emergency to test it. Delegate, delegate, delegate.

Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Scale Your Small Business Podcast with your host, Jillian Flodstrom. This week, we're going to take a close look at scaling your business and brand through social media. It can be a daunting task to dive into, but with the right mindset and proper preparation, you can make an impact.

The number one thing to remember when you're jumping into a presence on social media is to be consistent. Yes, you can plan for things, but plans change. What makes the difference is being active, engaged, and having a steady flow of content for your audience.

Sometimes you want to be that picture-perfect person for social media. Remember that you can't compare yourself as a beginner to someone who is much further along than you are. What matters is that you've started your social media journey and you'll improve with time.

Be kind to yourself. The social media world can be a cruel and occasionally unforgiving space. There are a few things to do here. First, have a plan for when that happens, don't forget that some people just aren't happy in their own lives and that your content is being seen by a ton of people. Try to meet that energy with kindness and you'll get a long way.

Work out a process, kinks and all, and repurpose content to make sure you're posting as much as is needed for your brand. Chop up other things you've done into bite-sized, social media-able pieces.

Don't feel like you need to use every single social media platform out there. It's much more effective to find where your audience is and learn that space inside and out. For example, Instagram has many different forms of content you can put out, which allows you to post multiple times in a day (if you have the content).

In the end, create something that is yours. Whatever it is you do, whoever it is you are, don't be afraid to share it. Chances are, people will connect with what you have to say and relate to your experiences.

Key Takeaways

• Be as consistent as possible on social media. Post engaging content actively!

• Be kind to yourself. Don't compare yourself to others and give yourself a break if you see any nasty comments.

• Create something that is yours. Whatever it is you do, whoever it is you are, don't be afraid to share it.

This week on the Scale Your Small Business Podcast with Jillian Flodstrom, Jillian is answering the question: "how do I give back to my business?" Often, entrepreneurs may have an aversion to posting about giving back on social media out of fear of being misinterpreted and coming off as shallow. But in reality, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that should be praised and replicated. Let's talk about some ways you can start doing just that.

First, offer your services to the community. There are lots of ways you can do this--you can give back monetary donations, volunteer your time, or volunteer your employees time and pay them for it. In many ways, volunteering is more valuable, in that you are connecting with your community in relation to something you're passionate about. Allowing your employees to volunteer and get paid is a win-win. Your community gets the benefit of volunteers and your employees get to feel good about what they're doing while still getting paid.

Secondly, consider signing up for events as a company. It could be as small as picking up trash along the road, or as large as a fundraising event like a fun-run. The point is, you're building a closer relationship with your team and the community you work in and serve.

Third, allow local nonprofits and charities to advertise in your business. This could be as simple as a poster in your window, or putting a Toys for Tots box in your lobby. Something that you know is going to make an impact that you have the resources to provide your community. Fundraise with and for these organizations and encourage other businesses in your community to do the same.

You'd be surprised at how much help these organizations could use, so rallying around them is always a good thing.

Key Takeaways

• Offer your services to the community. There are lots of ways you can do this--you can give back monetary donations, volunteer your time, or volunteer your employees time and pay them for it.

• In many ways, volunteering is more valuable, in that you are connecting with your community in relation to something you're passionate about. Allowing your employees to volunteer and get paid is a win-win.

• Consider signing up for events as a company. It could be as small as picking up trash along the road, or as large as a fundraising event like a fun-run. The point is, you're building a closer relationship with your team and the community you work in and serve.

• Invite local nonprofits and charities to advertise in your business. This could be as simple as a poster in your window, or putting a Toys for Tots box in your lobby. Something that you know is going to make an impact that you have the resources to provide your community.
• Fundraise with and for these organizations and encourage other businesses in your community to do the same. You'd be surprised at how much help these organizations could use, so rallying around them is always a good thing.

LINKS

If you're an entrepreneur or small business owner and are looking to calm the chaos, increase productivity and grow your revenue, I want to give you a special invite to request a free strategy call with me by visiting scaleyoursmallbusiness.org/freecall.

Welcome back to the Scale Your Small Business Podcast with your host, Jillian Flodstrom. Today, Jillian is going to share a few of her personal strategies that have made an immediate impact on both her professional and personal lives. From the tactical to the intangible, there are plenty of small changes and pivots you can make to see real growth.

Jillian's first tip is that you get one day to wallow. Whatever happens or has happened to you, whether it makes you upset, angry, or some concoction of negative emotions, you get exactly 24 hours before you need to start searching for a solution. This is a short amount of time, and may not fit into every circumstance, but the point is that you give yourself a limit before you start to pick yourself up and start again. These feelings shouldn't, and won't stop you.

Second, develop a routine. Having a set series of things you do every day helps keep your business, mind, and body running smoothly. It can help you gear up for a big day, brainstorm, or clear your head. Either way, make sure you have a process and stick to it.

Third, be kind to yourself. You may be doing something you've never done before, facing challenges you haven't seen yet, or overcoming a difficult hurdle. Offer yourself some grace. It's easy to beat yourself up over every moment of the day, but understand that you are always learning, always growing. That's what matters.

Fourth, set achievable goals and take breaks. Consider blocking your goals out in chunks. Start small and get the little things done--they add up. Once you start achieving, you get into a flow and achieving becomes a habit. Before you know it, you're moving forward and hitting every mark.

Fifth, write everything down. Every random thought, idea, question, or answer that pops into your head should go down on paper of some sort. It's easy to convince yourself you'll never forget, but when the time comes, it's safer to have it in front of you. Get a cute notebook you know you'll love carrying with you!

Finally, don't be afraid to ask for help. Believe or not, there is probably someone out there who can do something better than you--and that's okay. If you find yourself stuck and try to power through, you'll end up burning out fast.

Key Takeaways

• You get one day to wallow. Whatever happens or has happened to you, whether it makes you upset, angry, or some concoction of negative emotions, you get exactly 24 hours before you need to start searching for a solution.

• Develop a routine. Having a set series of things you do every day helps keep your business, mind, and body running smoothly. It can help you gear up for a big day, brainstorm, or clear your head.

• Be kind to yourself. You may be doing something you've never done before, facing challenges you haven't seen yet, or overcoming a difficult hurdle. Offer yourself some grace.

• Set achievable goals and take breaks. Consider blocking your goals out in chunks. Start small and get the little things done--they add up.

• Write everything down. Every random thought, idea, question, or answer that pops into your head should go down on paper of some sort.

• Don't be afraid to ask for help. Believe or not, there is probably someone out there who can do something better than you--and that's okay.

LINKS

scaleyoursmallbusiness.org/freecall

This week, we are going to break down a few of the most useful, most effective, and easiest to use backend systems that you can implement and see an immediate impact on your business. There are plenty of important front-end, client-facing processes, but without a solid foundation behind the scenes, you may not be getting the most out of your business. Let's talk about it.

The first backend system we're going to touch on is appointment software. Having consistent, clear appointment scheduling software is essential for the growth of your business. Scrambling, 'surprise' visits, or missed meeting all together can negatively affect your work in multiple ways. Calendly and AppointmentCore offers systems that allow you to have a clear flow of appointments.

Next is texting software. Texting software allows clients to text a business phone number versus having to have a personal cell phone always in use. This way, you can have the same phone number clients can call or text without purchasing an entirely new phone line.

CRM's are massively important, but be sure to choose one that is a good fit for your business. Think ahead and adapt to your business's future growth and make sure you already have a system that you won't have to replace multiple times as you expand. You can go big with something like Infusionsoft, or start simpler and more affordable with MailChimp.

File sharing in a quick, efficient way is a great way to boost productivity within your business. Using Dropbox or G Suite allows you to instantly share files of any size and encourage collaboration across the board.

Communication is paramount in any business, as it facilitates every inner working of what you do. Slack is a professional, clean instant messenger that your employees can use for quick, efficient communication in an individual or group setting. It alleviates email inbox clutter and on the whole, makes life a whole lot easier.

Password protection software may be the single most important investment you make for your business. 1Password and LastPass give you the ability to share a confidential password quickly, and revoke privileges if necessary. Keep your business safe!

Finally, having a team Kanban board software like Asana lays out projects clearly, step-by-step, and with assignments. With Asana or Trello, you can have multiple things going on, but it's all there for you to look at without being overwhelming. This software prevents all those small things from slipping through the cracks.

Key Takeaways

1. Having a consistent, clear appointment scheduling software is essential for the growth of your business. Scrambling, 'surprise' visits, or missed meeting all together can negatively affect your work in multiple ways.
2. Texting software allows clients to text a business phone number versus having to have a personal cell phone always in use. This way, you can have the same phone number clients can call or text without purchasing an entirely new phone line.
3. CRM's are massively important, but be sure to choose one that is a good fit for your business.
4. File sharing in a quick, efficient way is a great way to boost productivity within your business. Using Dropbox or G Suite allows you to instantly share files of any size and encourage collaboration across the board.
5. Maximize internal communication and alleviate email inbox clutter with Slack, a professional, clean instant messenger that your employees can use for quick, efficient communication in an individual or group setting.
6. Password protection software may be the single most important investment you make for your business. 1Password and LastPass give you the ability to share a confidential password quickly and revoke privileges if necessary.
7. Having a team Kanban board software like Asana lays out projects clearly, step-by-step, and with assignments. This software prevents all those small things from slipping through the cracks.

Welcome back to the Scale Your Small Business Podcast with your host, Jillian Flodstrom. Today's topic is an important one--transitioning your in-person business to be fully or partially virtual and online. This can be a daunting task, but we're going to run through some actionable tips that will help smooth out the process and result in more business and less stress for you and your operation.

First, consider getting a business phone number. Having an online VoIP allows you to keep your work and professional lives separate, have someone on your team handle calls when you aren't available, and makes it easy to manage relationships. By having a separate number, you're able to establish a number that you can whole-heartedly say is always available for your client's use without guilt. You can even answer that number on the same phone through an online app!

Second, focus on text and email. These forms of communication are often quicker, clearer, and easier for your clients. Sometimes, folks don't need an entire phone call--they may just need a fast answer between meetings. Texts and emails should move up on your priority list, as it's an effective way to manage client relationships. By going one step further and getting an automatic texting platform, you can also let them know automatically if there may be a delay in your response. These platforms also allow you to see the text or email in many different forms.

Third, think about online scheduling. While it can seem scary at first, online scheduling allows clients to schedule, move, and cancel appointments themselves, saving you a ton of time. It will send you an email and automatically update your calendar so you can use your valuable time working on something other than dozens of short phone calls.

Key Takeaways:

1. Consider getting a business phone number. Having an online VoIP allows you to keep your work and professional lives separate, have someone on your team handle calls when you aren't available, and makes it easy to manage relationships.

1. Focus on text and email. These forms of communication are often quicker, clearer, and easier for your clients. Sometimes, folks don't need an entire phone call--they may just need a fast answer between meetings. Texts and emails should move up on your priority list, as it's an effective way to manage client relationships.

1. Think about online scheduling. While it can seem scary at first, online scheduling allows clients to schedule, move, and cancel appointments themselves, saving you a ton of time.