Scale Your Small Business

Today on the Scale your Small Business podcast, we're talking about project planning! It can be easy to get lost in the chaos these days. With everything going on in the world right now, sometimes keeping track of your projects--what they are, when they should be finished, who is working on them--can be especially difficult. But there are methods and practices you can use right now that will help you get a good grip on your schedule.

Jill's first tip is to have a centralized location for all of your projects and what comes with them. She recommends some sort of planner or notebook where all those important ideas live. This is crucial because there are always those moments where you have a great idea, jot it down on the back of an envelop, a sticky note, or on a napkin and before you know it, it's gone. That wonderful thing you thought of is lost somewhere in the pile of scrap paper who knows where. Resist the urge! You'll thank yourself later.

Another step in this project planning process is the brain dump. This is when you're letting your brain take over and scribe anything that comes to mind associated with that project. This is a great way for you to jog your memory now and in the future, it'll spark ideas you hadn't thought of before and will let you clear your head to execute the tasks at hand. Even in the middle of the night, writing down those things will let you revisit and revise in the future. Remember to put enough information that will allow you to remember what that original thought was, otherwise you'll be asking yourself "what was I thinking here?"

Once you've got all your ideas down, the next step is refining your tasks to those that take two minutes or less. This is super important when you're creating your schedule. What can happen is smaller, but equally important tasks, can fall through the cracks and you won't realize until it's too late. By blocking out time for these things, you make sure you're on top of what needs to get done.

Finally, keep your delegation lists handy. That way you can keep track of what you can accomplish yourself and what other people on your team might be better equipped to handle. It doesn't make sense to muddle through a task and struggle when you've got someone working with you who is an expert!

If you enjoyed these quick tips, be sure to subscribe to be notified when the next episode airs!

LINKS

heyjillian.com

Imagine this: you've poured hours upon hours in a project--blood, sweat, and tears went into this thing you've worked so hard on. You're proud of it and ready to share it with the world! Then suddenly, it goes missing--your computer crashes, your laptop falls off the desk, your phone drops into the toilet. You guessed it, today on the Scale Your Small Business Podcast, we're talking about data and how you can keep it safe. Because it's not an "if" but a "when."

Jill has had her fair share of scare and unfortunate losses when it comes to losing data, in fact, it happened just recently (and in the middle of a launch!) where her newly created websites went missing for days without a clear way to recover all the hard work her and her team had done.

So...how can we prevent that pit in our stomach?

Jill's first recommendation is Dropbox. With an unlimited Dropbox account, you and your team can save, store, and back up data safely and securely. Even during an evacuation situation where you'll have to leave your hardware behind, your data will remain available.

She also suggests using a plugin to your website that automatically backs up the changes you make and the progress you and your team achieve.

It's not just professional data, either. Backing up your personal photos can help keep those sentimental moments in your life safe.

If you enjoyed these quick tips, be sure to subscribe to be notified when the next episode airs!

LINKS

heyjillian.com

Key Takeaways

+ There are an endless amount of things and events that can compromise your data and hard work.

+ Backing up your data with Dropbox, website plugins, and the Cloud keeps your data safe and secure, while remaining quickly accessible.

+ It's worth having more than one layer of backup, just to be safe!

On today's show, we're talking about a critical, preparatory step you should be taking for your business. We're breaking down financial planning for the slow season. Right now, COVID-19 is impacting organizations and institutions across all industries, and it's important that you're prepared to handle whatever challenges the Coronavirus throws at you. Jill talks about the methodology she follows, the accounts and percentages she uses, as well as some good habits she's developed over the years.

The first resource Jill recommends is a book (or audiobook if you're like Jill) is "Profit First" by Mike Michalowicz. This book talks about a system he created when he made some poor choices that came back to bite him in the butt later down the road. Jill shares with us what she pulled from the strategy Mike has laid out, starting with bank accounts: personal and business.

As far as personal accounts go, you've got payable and receivable: where you pay and get paid. Then, you have a tax account (obviously) as well as a tithing account. Now, a tithing account doesn't necessarily need to have religious connotations--it can be used as money set aside to give to someone in need, a charity you follow, or just doing someone a favor. There are also retirement accounts that we should be keeping topped-off as much as possible to make use of compounding interest. Next, there's an allowance account: this is money you don't need to assign to anything in particular. An emergency account is crucial for those moments when every appliance decides to fail. Savings accounts are there to satisfy any need that's long-term or to supplement your emergency fund.

For business, much is the same. You'll have payable, receivable, and tax accounts. But this time, you'll have profit and vault accounts. Profit accounts are a percentage you take from your business to stock away. That way, when you get to take a quarterly distribution, there is money there! Your vault account can be set up automatically to put money away to pay larger-sums; things like annual fees or insurance policies. By doing that, you relieve yourself of the pressure of remembering to pay it and alleviate the pain of money leaving the account! Next, you have investment accounts and saving accounts. Savings accounts can vary and depend on what needs you have for your organization. Make sure to verify any fees that may arise with each account so you can adjust accordingly.

When you're looking at your percentages, start small, like 1 or 2 percent. If you go too big too soon, you won't be able to sustain it (just ask Jill!). When you start moving money from accounts, it can be scary to see no money anywhere.

LINKS:

heyjillian.com

Today's topic is something you probably know you need to do, especially if you're a high-achiever. On this episode, we're breaking down delegation--how we can train, educate, and empower our team to tackle tasks with the same intensity and passion you bring to the table. Being able to trust someone to accomplish assignments frees you up physically and mentally to focus on the things that are most important to you.

Jill's first tip is to build a ScreenFlow Library. ScreenFlow records your screen while you talk through what you're doing. This is a great tool when training a team member on how to complete an assigned task. By using ScreenFlow, you allow another person to learn at the pace that works for them and ensure they have access to the in's and out's of what their responsibilities are. Beyond that, if they have any questions in the future, everything they need to know it right there for them to instantly refresh their memory.

When we've gotten to the actual act of delegating a task, there are a few key steps to follow:

1. Teach them to complete the task
2. Show them HOW to complete the task
3. Have them complete the task WITH you
4. Watch them complete the task
5. Teach them how to think through the task on their own
6. Think through the task together
7. Have them think through the task for you

These steps do a number of things in addition to empowering an employee or an assistant to take that initiative to complete a task. Yes, it frees up a huge amount of time, energy, and resources, but it also gives team members autonomy and the ability to complete a task no matter the stage it is in. By having the team member think through the assignment out loud, you gain insight into their thought process and can better communicate your own strategies related to the task at hand. Allow people the opportunity to explain how they work! Make sure they have confidence in knowing how YOU would complete the task--then, they can transfer that work-ethic into their own day-to-day. The only way they'd ever know that is if you show them!

These 7 steps are quick, actionable things you can apply today to improve the delegation in your organization. Remember, you don't have to dive into all 7 at once--maybe you choose one or two steps at first and lead into the rest as you see fit.

Thanks for tuning in to Episode 3 of the Scale Your Small Business Podcast with your host, Jillian Flodstrom! This week's topic is handling distraction--something we all deal with (some of us more than others!) and a subject that can make or break your workday. Do you find yourself jumping from task to task? Struggling to get a project started--finished? Tune in to hear Jill share some of her best tips, tools, and strategies you can use TODAY to maximize your effort.

Jillian's first tool is something surprisingly simple that we often overlook or take for granted. Something as basic as a timer (check out the Youtube video for a visual!) is a versatile instrument that can help you jumpstart something you feel like you should've gotten to work on earlier. By setting small chunks of time aside, you're dedicating a tangible space to get the dishes done, write that email, or anything else you could think of. If you tell yourself "okay--I'm going to spend 5 minutes on this project" you'll find that you're in a position to finish what you started.

Another gadget Jill uses to keep herself focused is something called a Time Flip. This clock has hexagonal sides where you can customize stickers based on tasks you're looking to complete. The Time Flip gives you a visual representation of what you're working on, for how long, and when it's time to move to another task. The best thing about it is the App it comes with. This app stores your progress, your tasks, and allows you to build a day around what works best for you while keeping you accountable for getting things done.

Like Jill, many entrepreneurs (and parents) often struggle with tying themselves down to one project at a time. Jill suggests writing everything down in one spot. A stylish notebook is a great way to dump ideas onto a page to create space in your mind to work. The process is simple--you can break a day down hour by hour, but you could also do a "brain dump." A Brain Dump is when you put everything on your mind--ideas, thoughts, worries, you name it--all down on a sheet of paper. From there, organizing the areas tasks fall in with colors can help you wrap your head around everything going down.

What you'll learn on today's episode

Today on the Scale Your Small Business Podcast, Jillian shares with us her favorite gadgets, tips, and tools to stay laser-focused in a world full of distractions.

LINKS

Heyjillian.com

To check out the Gadgets mentioned on today's episode, check out Jillian's Amazon List:

https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-TimeCube-Minutes-Management-Kitchen/dp/B00889AVB8/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=time+cube&qid=1598480154&sr=8-8

https://timeflip.io

It's the premiere episode of the Scale Your Small Business Podcast with your host, Jillian Flodstrom. Today, we're talking about something many people have experienced at least once in their lives, and something Jillian herself had to deal with recently. We're tackling the topic of hacking. What are the warning signs? What can we do if it happens to us? How can we protect ourselves? Just like anything bad that happens, it rears its ugly head when you least expect it.

A few years ago, Jillian experienced a data breach, which eventually ended up leading to this experience. Recently in Washington, an unemployment scam used people's identities and data (including Jill's) to open unemployment accounts, hoping to garner the money from the government under a false name. There were signs of being hacked--changing passwords, accounts that don't look familiar, and late-night emails. Of course, sorting out the problem was no small task. Thousands of people are calling in to file for unemployment, have questions answered, or other totally legitimate needs. Finally, after an extraordinary amount of calls, the problem was sorted. All in all, the process was quite a nightmare.

So, how could this have been prevented? There are a few methods Jillian says. One is dual authentication. This is a process that keeps your data safe by requiring two forms of authentication to log in to platforms. A code is sent to you via a text or an application on your phone, which you enter into the platform you're logging on to. From there, you can work as you normally would. This way, no one can sign in without having access to your phone. Another important step to take is considering something called "Number Lock." This is a service provided by your cellphone company that only allows your number to be used or transferred with your permission. If a hacker gains access to your phone and phone number, they have access to everything.

From a business perspective, using a password vault like 1Password is a great way to house your team's passwords, share access to certain platforms without sharing the master password that the owner keeps. With this layered on top of dual authentication and Number Lock, security is certainly elevated, and you have the freedom to throttle access as you see fit.

There are absolutely more steps every business can take to uplevel their security, but I hope you found a place to start with this episode. Head to heyjillian.com to find out more!

The name says it all! The Scale Your Small Business Podcast helps entrepreneurs and small business owners put simple systems in place to see exponential growth. If you need help mitigating the feelings of overwhelm and confusion when it comes to leading and growing your business this show will help you calm the chaos, increase productivity and grow your revenue. Hosted by serial entrepreneur, Jillian Flodstrom.