The Ops Authority

Does project management, organization, and leadership come naturally to you? Have you been working in project management, and wondering what your next move is?

Today we are covering the number one question I get asked when people are trying to decide if they should join the Director of Operations certification program:

What's the difference between the Online Business Management (OBM) certification and the Director of Operations (DOO) certification?

Both of them are excellent options, and I am going to break them down for you.

Before we dive in, I wanted to invite you to join me for the 5 day sprint where I will address how to handle scope creep. Sign up for the Scope Creep Solution, starting on Aug 10th.

To OBM or to DOO?

That is the question…

Both are phenomenal programs where you can utilize your gift of project management and operations to be able to develop a career path with flexibility and the ability to bring in a great income.

When I began, I never knew about online business management training. I had heard about the Virtual Assistant world, but I was coming from a corporate operations background. I felt I had a lot of leadership and experience and asked myself how I could take my experience and translate it into the small business space.

The Difference Between OBM and DOO

An OBM trains people to support businesses in the online space. Operations look at the day to day tasks and functions to ensure that revenue is coming in.

A DOO trains in a large number of operational areas: finances, project management, team management. It serves a more comprehensive operations package, supporting all different models: online, small business, or corporate. The DOO is a more holistic approach.

If you want to deal specifically with online business, consider the OBM.

If you want to learn how to run your business better, or learn full operations for any business, consider the DOO program.

Marketing

OBMs will include training in online marketing and launching, specific to the online space.

Since DOOs train in a comprehensive view of operations, training is not marketing heavy.

When I interview DOO candidates, I ask them how comfortable they are with marketing. If marketing is their strength, I will direct them towards the OBM certification.

If they enjoy looking at businesses holistically from strategy and implementation, I will direct them towards the DOO certification.

Content of Training

In the DOO program, we focus on financials. You don't have to be an accountant, but if you are going to be seen as a counterpart to the CEO, you will have to understand the basics of financials. You will be helping that leader make strategic decisions, so you must have a solid understanding of money.

The DOO has a strategic mapping model which is a big differentiator between the two certifications. It will allow you to come into a business and partner in-depth with a leader from the beginning. This is a license that DOOs get after completing the program.

Also, DOOs focus on metrics and KPIs (key performance indicators) to help us understand business leaders if they are on the right path or if there are opportunities or gaps that we need to fill in a quick way.

Leadership

You can be a leader of a team and not be qualified or experienced enough to lead a business.

"DOOs are people who are ready to help a business leader to reformulate, repurpose, grow and scale a business in total."

Size of Businesses

A DOO is a director level role who serves alongside the CEO, whereas the OBM is more of a managerial role. The size of businesses who hire are commensurate with that.

Experience

Often OBMs start out as a virtual assistant, and once they have success, they transition to the OBM role.

A DOO has years of experience, so now we are looking at refining. The question is "How do we become better?" rather than "What tools do we need to develop?" When I look at DOO applicants, I look at experience that they have accumulated and leadership that they already possess.

Implementation vs Integration

We see a lot of OBMs who are implementing, i.e. still doing the work.

The DOO does not promote doing the work, but integrates the vision that the business owner has… they are the master gatekeeper of the business, leader, and the team.

Commitment to Placing

I want to help you recoup your investment through the DOO certification. There are different tools within the content, but I also want to make sure we are growing the brand of DOOs in a strategic way. I'm committed to helping you get clients and will present those opportunities as they arise.

OBMs and DOOs overlap in so many different areas: project management, organization, systems processes, and team leadership.

This is a great growing industry with a career path for you. If you possess project management skills, and can process and understand the development of businesses, then the DOO certification program may be right for you. Given the current climate, remote work will no longer be taboo, and more and more opportunities will emerge, so this is a great time to invest in yourself!

Check out the Director of Operations certification program if you would like to learn more, or if you are ready to apply.

Weekly Ops Activity

Sign up for the Scope Creep Solution, our 5 day sprint that begins August 10th!

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/56.

Can you remember what your business looked like one year ago? What has changed?

This is the one year anniversary episode of The Ops Authority Podcast, and I want you to join me in reflecting on your small business over the last year. Realize and acknowledge all the work you put in, and enjoy the progress you've made!

The Difference A Year Can Make

One year ago I had just finished up going through two major projects in my business. My website and branding redesign had just finished up, and I was also finishing up taking care of the legalities of protecting some of my intellectual property.

While those two projects gave me a significant amount of confidence, I also knew I had to start marketing differently. I had to increase my visibility because that was the missing link in scaling my business. I was collaborating with my Director of Operations (DOO) to get the strategy for this podcast to address this issue.

Starting The Ops Authority Podcast

This podcast has resulted in some really fabulous lead generation. I have a niche audience who I wanted to reach so I needed to create an opportunity to talk to people on a larger scale. The idea was to talk to people on a more consistent basis with the goal to educate, provide support, provide a community and generate more interest and leads. This has been a pivotal strategic move.

Refocusing My Efforts

Last year at this time I had 3 different offers. I was helping businesses in a one-to-one capacity. I was also running my program (the A-Team Accelerator) that helped businesses by teaching them how to co-manage the growth of their business along with the managing backend of their business. And I was offering the 12-week Director of Operations Certification program, which I was still trying to figure out how to grow. Four years ago I had 12 offers, so I'd already come a long way!

"In those beginning days of business we all go through lots of testing to figure out what will feel the best, what resonates, and where we can stand up in confidence and feel like we are making a difference."

I decided to niche down to one offer of The DOO Certification. I've always had a calling to do teaching and coaching, and I could see things coming to fruition through the DOO certification program. It was the one I felt most committed to. Through the podcast and acquiring support in marketing, I was able to make this happen in one year.

Changing the Certification

I changed the DOO Certification from a 12 week program into a full 6 month program. I love data and figuring out the impact the certification was having on the people who have come through it. But although the info that students gained was amazing, they also wanted to learn how to apply it, monetize it, and how to build a true career from it. So I changed it to a 6 month program where they now have coaches and accountability.

Competence in Marketing

I realized I had a gap in my marketing competence, and I had to invest in a coaching relationship to gain confidence in the way that I market. I invested in a program that I could learn and get a return from very quickly. Being able to have a solid marketing strategy has enabled me the ability to bring in the income I need to grow my team.

Vision

Previously, I could only see 12-18 months down the road when it came to the vision for my business. After working with my coach, I can cast a vision that is 3-5 years out. I can now envision my business having 10 employees, and the possibilities of what my business can do and how I can give back has totally changed.

What Lies Ahead

Going forward, we will have more cohorts of the DOO Certification program. Due to the lead generation from the podcast and other marketing efforts, there is lots of interest. To make sure we keep a high touch, intimate experience, we are creating additional cohorts. Previously we = had 2 cohorts per year, and we are increasing to 4-6 cohorts each year so we can continue to individually support people with a customized journey. If you are interested in joining the DOO Certification, we have one opening up at the end of August.

Before we go into those launches, I am giving you an opportunity for you to get some hands on coaching experience with me through The Scope Creep Solution, which is a 5 day action-packed live coaching event that will teach you how you can level up your project management skills and help avoid the scope creep that naturally happens. Join us!

"Having boundaries and understanding your vision and your mission is critical to making sure you survive and thrive in entrepreneurship."

Weekly Ops Activity

Do a reflection, and share in the Facebook Group: What 3 things have changed in your business over the past 12 months?

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/55.

Are you someone who needs consistency in your work and your paycheck? Or is it more important to you to decide who you work with, when you work, and what types of projects you take on?

Today we are talking about something that comes up all the time… the risks and rewards of choosing between going full time in someone's business vs coming on as a contractor. As a disclaimer, there are legal considerations that are attached to these designations, but that is not what we will be discussing today.

How to Determine Your Role

How do you determine what you should be doing as a service provider? We are at a place in time in which the demand for operators is growing (and will continue to grow) like never before. If you are embarking on this journey, you need to assess the risk and the rewards of a full time role vs. a contract role.

What Do You Need More Of?

Think about what your drive is, and revisit your vision. What is it that you want so badly? Do you want to offset your family's expenses? Be able to pick your kids up from school? What is motivating you to do the type of work you are doing? If you are looking for lots of freedom to work whenever you want, then being committed to a full time position will not be your best bet.

"Why are you on the path that you are on?"

Consistency and Predictability

If control, repetitiveness, and predictability are central to who you are, then there is a lot of reward in having a stable environment. If this sounds good to you, consider the full time model.

If you crave flexibility or don't mind uncertainty; if you're not the sole provider in your home; if you crave variety or if you like the idea of changing course...I'd advise you to look at the retainer based model where you can have lots of different projects going on.

Risk vs. Reward

How risky do you like things? If you want consistency, you will want to assume less risk.

If you are okay with flexibility, then the reward is there though it will be more risky.

Assess where you are in your life right now. Are you at a place in your life where you need to be more risk averse or can you take those risks? Are you ready to accept the rewards that accompany the risk?

"What do you need to be your optimal self?"

Support Systems

What kind of support do you have in your life right now? If you have a ton of support systems, then taking additional risks might be a good move. But if you are the sole provider for your family, you may want to evaluate if this is the right time to build a business.

Marketing Yourself

Do you have a natural ability to sell a product? Are you naturally wired for sales? Are you interested in the marketing game? If you are looking at the Director of Operations (DOO) as a profession, be aware that the concept of marketing yourself never goes away.

What kind of tolerance do you have? If you are not into marketing and sales conversations, and want to limit the number of these interactions, full time may be your best bet.

If you are on the other end of that spectrum… if you love marketing and sales, then you may be more suited to the retainer model.

Benefits

Do you need health, dental, or retirement? Where are you in your life? Are you willing to assume the benefits yourself or do they need to be employer sponsored? It depends on the logistics of your situation.

Choice

If you are someone who wants to select the type of work you are doing, the type of people you like serving, and setting the rules, the retainer model may be for you.

If you value having a consistent paycheck, then full time is probably for you.

It's worth noting that there is full time employment that can be flexible. Lots of successful small businesses will hire in a full time capacity. This gives you the best of both worlds… you can choose who you want to work and work as an operator, and help navigate executive decisions that you may not get to make in the corporate space.

When you think about income in your life, you need to decide what kind of risk you are able to assume. I get lots of people coming out of corporate, wanting to create a business on their own. This is totally possible, but you need a model that works for you. If you are looking for flexibility and more say so in who you work with, check out our Director of Operations program to learn more.

Weekly Ops Activity

What do you need more of at this time in your life? Consistency and predictability OR flexibility and variety. Please join our private Facebook group and share!

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

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Private Facebook Community

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/54.

Do you serve your clients so well that your own business takes a backseat? Are you spending enough time making sure your business is functioning in a way that will allow you to achieve your goals?

As someone who has been in the project management space their entire career, I want to remind you that we have to run our own businesses as well or better than we run our clients' businesses. You spend day in and day out making your clients' businesses run smoothly. You are the brains and the power behind the scenes. Today, I want to flip the script and tell you how you can do this in your own business.

Your Business Priorities

When we are super busy working within our clients business, we often forget to keep things in order in our own businesses. Here are a few things that I want you to take immediate action on.

Define Your Vision

Do you know where you are headed? What does success look like to you? What will your business look like in 3-5 years? Close your eyes and find a quiet space to dream about your career. Imagine what your business will look like in 2025.

Define Your KPIs

Don't forget to define the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in your own business. What kind of metric will help you to know that you are on track or off track? Is visibility and getting more clients important? What about delivering projects on time or on budget? How can you track your efficiency and effectiveness?

Close the Loop

Clients love us because we come into their businesses and help bring clarity, direction, and a plan. We close the loops by checking the boxes, getting systems set up and projects executed.

"We lead the team to close the loop to make sure whatever we start gets completed."

Who is doing that in your business? If you are a solopreneur, you won't be able to close as many loops as if you had a team. But you can make forward progress, meaning you will continually move your business to the next level. Look at the projects you need to get done, and set an appropriate expectation. Set aside 5-10 hours a week to focus on your business.

Start Thinking About a Team

Can you offload some of the things you are doing? What is needed, and are you at the revenue level in which you can bring someone in to help? What kind of team structure do you desire and are you doing the things you need to move yourself into utilizing and growing that team?

Think about Vacation Time

As an operator, you come in to help the business owner to alleviate stress and to help them stop working around the clock. You get to help the business owner exhale, and allow them to have some space. It is important that you apply this concept to yourself.

"You need to prioritize your downtime for your own sanity."

You are allowed a vacation. Freedom is probably one of the biggest reasons you got into business for yourself.

So how do you do this? When you create your contract, make sure to create a vacation plan for yourself. For example, in my contracts I specify that I will be taking 2 weeks of vacation per year. I will make sure that I communicate that vacation in advance. If I am going to be off for a full week, I will let them know 4 weeks in advance. If I'm going to be out 2 or more days, I will let them know 2 weeks in advance. Otherwise, it is on an unplanned or emergency basis.

You need to make sure to communicate all of this clearly. Put it in your contract, and on your calendar. Also, send them a formal email with the dates, what they can expect of you, and if you will be reachable. Let them know what you will do to prepare for the time you are away.

Innovate and Evaluate

Make sure you spend some time in your business reflecting on your services.

What is working and what is not working? What do you love doing? If you stay in a state of busy, you will avoid innovating and figuring out what fills you up. When you avoid evaluation, you get stuck doing the things that don't come natural, that you are forcing yourself to do.

Set aside 1-2 hours each week to look at how your business is running. What feels good, and what do you aspire to do? What can you evaluate today to figure out what you need to improve on, or what you need to withdraw from?

I want you to grow a business that feels good, and to achieve the freedom and capacity to be your own boss. It is your responsibility to provide operations and support to your clients, but you cannot do this without serving yourself!

Weekly Ops Activity

Create a vacation plan for yourself and communicate it to your clients or customers.

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/53.

Are you fully capable of being a leader, but your leader (your client) won't let you step into that leadership role? Does it feel like you are being held back?

You are super invested in your clients business and can see yourself in a leadership role, but that leader has the reigns pulled so tightly and you can't bring the best parts of you to the business… your leader simply won't let you.

I've been in this position... where I couldn't express myself in true form. I felt depleted, anxious, and sad as I'd go into work each morning. Eventually, I reached out to a mentor to help me work through this, and today I'm going to be sharing the tips that allowed me to step into that leadership role.

Tips To Help You Lead

Most small or online businesses have grown their businesses with their own blood, sweat, and tears. Their identity as CEOs are intertwined with the building phase of their business, so when leaders start to elevate and scale their business they begin to extend that identity onto someone else. They are hiring someone to duplicate or replace them and this handoff is often rocky because there are few systems or processes in place for the new hire to follow...yet, the expectation is that the hire will come in and immediately be a duplicate of that person. The expectations are off from the very beginning.

Ask Them Questions

Ask in-depth questions about strategy.

• Why is it that you did it this way?
• What is the expected outcome?
• How will we get to that place?

These are all questions that will turn the head of a leader and convey care for their business or product. Make sure you take notes and come back and provide solutions. Give them a plan and they will feel support and trust, and understand that you are in this alongside them.

Increase Communications

I see lots of organizations who are in a scaling phase that hire contractors frequently. I also see incredible breakdowns in communication taking place. If you are the one person on the team who is communicating well, giving status updates, monitoring performance of marketing plans or strategic objectives, you will be a standout.

Increase Communications Around Reporting

Show up every week showing progress that the team has made, the weak spots, and an overview of what is coming up. This will make your leader feel super supported.

Don't forget about market information. One of the biggest traits I see in Director Of Operations is curiosity, and I want you to translate that into market information. Go out and see what their competitors are doing.

Be Resourceful

Every technology tool has a knowledge base or a customer service department that you can contact to get the answers to your questions. Do not ask your leader these types of questions; your leader will not know the answer, and they will feel annoyed that you didn't search for the answer yourself.

"Be as independent as possible but still collaborative."

Use your connections, use the internet, use data and resources… and solve your own problems. Don't bring low level problems to your leader.

Lead Projects With Integrity

I want the CEO to avoid that guttural feeling, where they are constantly wondering where they are at with projects, and who's doing what. Use project management systems to document, keep track, notify, stay on top of notifications, and bring all the info back to the leader.

If you do all of these steps, I promise you that the leader will recognize the leadership potential you have. You will absolutely be worth more than you were when you entered into the business. Show up with all of these skills, and by doing these things you will show your leader that you can be a consistent resource.

"You can come into a role and rise through the ranks by showing up and showing off."

Weekly Ops Activity

Go over to the Facebook group and tell me: what did you do to show up as a leader to your CEO?

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

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Private Facebook Community

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/52

As an operator, do you ever feel like you are bombarded with ideas from your leader? How do you help your visionary identify what ideas are the right ones to pursue?

Today we are talking about how to help your clients prioritize their projects and plans. This is necessary if you are helping leaders figure out which projects they should be focusing their attention on, and how to help them minimize the distractions that come up.

How to Help Clients Prioritize

Visionaries think very big-picture, and they don't see details like you do. A visionary needs to be paired with an operator that can break down that vision into smaller pieces. Oftentimes visionaries want to go in several different directions, so when it comes time for making visions a reality, your job is to help lead them and prioritize.

Understand Their Mission

Who do they serve and how do they do it? What is the way in which they serve their clients and is there anything unique about it? Take the time to help them determine their mission.

Understand Their Strategic Priorities

There are 7 strategic priorities in a business:

• Financial steadiness
• Customer-client experience
• Visibility
• Professional/personal development
• Operational excellence
• Team development
• Product development

Understand how to rank these strategic priorities based on their current day mission.

Understand Their Vision

What is the vision for the company? What does their role in the business look like? Ask them what their business will look like 5 years from now, and get very clear on the direction they want to pursue.

Also, take into consideration the vision for their personal life. What do they want their life to look like, and how can you facilitate them towards that goal? What priorities will help that vision become a reality?

"If you understand where they are going, you will understand what strategic objectives will be ranked highest."

If they are in a scaling phase and need to double down on operational efficiencies, you will need to navigate and lead this conversation. Help them understand that they don't necessarily need to be involved in the day to day operations.

"Understand their vision and prioritize their objectives based on the vision of their company."

Look at every single project and understand what the outcome is going to be, and what that outcome will bring to the business. Help them understand how to connect current day projects to the vision of the business.

Understand Future Goals

If your visionary has a big goal for the future, help them break down that goal and start laying the groundwork. Your job is to leverage their ideas to make money today. This way, you will help them create less resistance for when the time comes.

Focus on Operations

Don't forget to leverage SOPs (standard operating procedures) and streamlining in the business. Identify the projects you can do that will move the vision forward, without pulling time and energy away from the CEOs. In this way you are providing structure to the business behind the scenes that the visionary might not even realize they need.

Benefits of Prioritizing

We as operators like direction and plans. With priorities aligned and directly tied to the vision, the team will be on board with the plan. They will feel a natural momentum and see the benefits. You are the bridge between the business owner and the team, and you are able to paint a precise picture for the team who is doing the work.

Create a Decision Making Matrix

Does this project connect to our mission and vision? Where is it in the strategic priorities? If it is number 7 on the list of the strategic priorities, that's an indicator that it is not a top priority. This also helps with communicating to your leader, and helps reign in their ideas. You want your leader to express all of their ideas, and then you will help them identify which ones are quality ideas.

Boundaries

Understand what is in scope or out of scope, and this will help you definitively say yes or no. You may have to do some market research to understand if this new idea should move forward or not.

Predict Work Volume

Another benefit is that you will be able to predict the work volume for your team, and know the support that will be necessary. By creating a project plan you are able to see what is needed and forecast for staffing resources.

All of these conversations take leadership. I wanted to help give you tactical advice on how to prioritize all of the ideas of your visionaries. By having these conversations you are helping them understand why prioritization is important and how it ultimately ties back to their mission and vision.

Weekly Ops Activity

Meet with your clients to re-establish or create their mission and vision. Then, come on over to The Ops Insiders Facebook Group, and share what you learned through the process.

If you need a guide to help you in your conversation, grab the Mission, Vision, and Values Guide.

Previous Episodes Mentioned

Episode 5: The Seven Pillars to Your Business Strategy with Andrea Layne

Stay Connected:

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/51.

Do you treat a virtual interview the same as you would an in-person interview? If you are wondering what to expect from this process in the virtual realm, you are in luck because today is all about the virtual interview process.

I spend a portion of time in my business helping entrepreneurs hire their support teams. I see lots of people come through the interview process, and I wanted to give you a heads up on best practices for interviewing. Lots of you are in the contractor space, and I want you to be able to apply with confidence. We are going to cover my best tips for before, during, and after the interview process.

Prepare

Preparation is key. I hate to see great quality people disqualified because of lack of preparation. Remember, you won't get to show off your skill sets, abilities and personality unless you make it through the interview process.

Review Your Social Profiles

Prepare by looking at your social media profiles. Everyone you interview with will be checking you out on Facebook and LinkedIn. Use common sense about what you post so that you are representing yourself in a way that you would want someone new to your circle to see you. Alternatively, you could lock down your social media profiles.

You need to have a Facebook business page at minimum, and I want that page to be a great representation of your best work. Make sure you:

• Have the demographic info filled out
• Have a link to your website
• Make sure your about section is consistent and current on both LinkedIn and Facebook

Make sure you have a robust LinkedIn profile that is up to date, and that your best work is highlighted. Employers are checking both Facebook and LinkedIn to get a sense of who you are, and to validate your professional background.

Make sure your website is up to date; particularly your about page. It should be consistent with your Facebook business page and your LinkedIn profile. You can give the most information about yourself on this page and communicate your values.

"One of the easiest ways to get in the door with an entrepreneur in a small business is to share the same value set."

When you get on an interview call, they will ask you to introduce yourself. Script it out, and practice what you are going to say. This is the most predictable question you will have in an interview, and I want you to nail it.

Stalk the Company

Spend your time doing research on the company. Do your fact finding on their website and social media. Understand exactly what they offer. Learn about the leader, their values, and what their progression in business has been. This will help you in the interview, and it will naturally come through in the process.

Learn about their current offers. I often ask interviewees for feedback on a company's current offers to see if they have done any research on their part. As you are looking through, find opportunities that you could recommend to them.

"Every single person who is hiring right now is looking for solutions."

Ace the Final Round Review the Job Description

Before you get on the interview, review the job description. Pay attention to the skills, responsibilities and values that the company is looking for, and reflect that language back to them. If you can come to that interview knowing what you can provide to them, this will be a game changer. What would be your 30 day goals? If you can articulate this in an interview, you will be a stand out candidate.

"How do you plan to provide a return on investment for the role you are in?"

Pro Tip: When you are filling out an application, screenshot your answers and review them before you get into an interview situation. I want you to leverage the answers you've provided.

The Interview

Do not disqualify yourself by showing up unprofessionally. You are being interviewed to provide leadership in a business, so you need to look professional. Know who you are interviewing with, and dress appropriately (even though you are doing the interview virtually).

• Dress appropriately
• Do your hair
• Be aware of your background
• Schedule a time where kids/family members will not interrupt you

Harness Your Energy

Show some enthusiasm and energy. Entrepreneurs are looking for people who are passionate about our businesses and can share the same zest that we have for our businesses.

"Show up as a polished candidate and you will be a candidate that they cannot refuse."

Weekly Ops Activity

Update your social media business page. Make sure your bio is updated, update graphics, contact information and services before Episode 51 of the Ops Authority podcast drops.

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

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Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/50.

Have you ever wondered what makes a good Director of Operations? Are you interested in pursuing this line of work but unsure if you are the right fit for the role?

I often get people asking me what they can do to prepare to apply for the certification or if I think they are already qualified. Today we are going to talk about the top traits we see in Directors of Operations (DOO).

Identifying Top Traits

We've just onboarded the fifth round of the DOO certification. This certification allows DOOs to create new offers and uplevel who they are serving. During the onboarding process, we collect lots of data, and this is what the data tells us that a typical DOO candidate looks like.

We look at past operations experiences, their existing business structure, and when/how they have exercised leadership in the past. Many of these pieces are situational, meaning they are decisions they've made based on their surroundings or circumstances.

Think about the roles you've had along your journey and the ones you've unintentionally fell into. The role may not have been your dream position, but you learned something new.

Other types of data we will collect are less variable. They tell me about operators in general and having this data helps me connect high level business owners who come to me looking for operators.

7 Top Traits of a DOO

These are the 7 most consistent themes I see in DOOs, but this doesn't mean it's a comprehensive list. If you don't have all of them, it may just mean that you will build your business a little bit differently.

High Fact Finding

This is your instinctive need to gather as much information as possible. You either have this or you don't, but this trait goes hand and hand with project managers.

Structure & Order

A DOO wants to compartmentalize things, find consistency and themes, and is less flexible with change. They love patterns and designing systems, workflows and SOPs. They love figuring out which steps to take, and crafting the business into a well oiled machine.

Introversion

DOOs are the second in command, and they love supporting and contributing to other people's visions. They will partner with extroverts, and run the back end of the business. For example, introverts love marketing systems, but they don't love the forward facing end of it. When a DOO is an introvert, they complement the visionary perfectly because visionaries tend to be extroverts.

"Extroverts don't want the competition of another extrovert."

Creativity in Problem Solving

DOO creativity shows up in the way that they solve the problems for the business. They take complex things and break them down.

Need to Know Expectations

DOOs want to know what is expected of them, their projects, and the team. They are analytical thinkers, and they love order.

"A DOO creates expectations, and then measures themself against those expectations."

Long Processors

A DOO needs some time to determine the next steps to take. This can be frustrating for our visionary clients. Our clients move faster and see the end result, while we see every tiny step that will get us there. This is a benefit, because as we work through these plans they will be comprehensive, and we will address all of the gaps.

Leadership

DOOs are yes-maybe people, not yes ma'ams. Yes ma'ams take orders and perform at an entry level function. Yes-maybe's add in the leadership layer that may include processing, measuring, and evaluating a process. DOO's are capable of leading hard conversations, team meetings, holding peers accountable, assessing risk, etc.

"Leadership is non-negotiable… it's the one trait a DOO has to have!"

You don't have to have all of these traits to be a successful DOO, but these are the themes I see in our community. Those who fall outside of the traits listed above usually tailor their business differently.

There are lots of different ways to structure a business, and it's important that as you come through the certification that we look at your Kolbe A Index. I coach you based on the results to determine what your business would look like.

If you possess a lot of these traits, please look into the DOO certification program to see if it sounds like a good fit. We will have another cohort starting soon!

Weekly Ops Activity

Which of these 7 traits of a DOO do you naturally have? Join us in our Faceboook Group, and let us know!

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

Website

Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

Instagram

This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/49.

Is your business prepared for the worst? Do you have plans in place for emergency situations? There are processes you can put in place to make sure your business is able to operate in the wake of an emergency or disaster.

Before I became an entrepreneur, I worked in several different fields: academia, healthcare and in corporate America. In all of these areas, I was in operational roles in the backend of the businesses. That gave me a front row seat to the systems, processes, management, and the delivery of the services. In this episode, I want to break down more and more of those corporate operational skill sets.

I left corporate to create a life and a business that matched my values and accommodated my family. But in my haste to leave corporate, I overlooked some of the operational principles that have been so important in corporate development.

I'm here to help you improve your business as well as your clients' businesses. The need for these principals have never been more necessary in the wake of COVID-19. This global pandemic caused us to question ourselves, pause, consider a pivot, and wonder about all of the "what-if" situations. But in March 2020, the entire globe was the same. It was sad and hard, but humbling as we watched the global economy shift.

Business Continuation Plans

These plans are common in corporate settings, and as small business owners we would have loved to have one of these at our disposal when COVID-19 struck. There was a lack of this in my business, and also in the businesses of my clients, students and peers. A business continuation plan serves to mitigate the risk that can disrupt your operations and profits.

"A business continuation plan won't save you but it can help extend your time to take action."

Small businesses are usually very lean, and I've learned that we are very co-dependent on processes and people. This plan will give you the ability to adapt quickly and prevent emotional decisions.

"If you can take the time to minimize your losses and emotionality, you're going to come out with better financial stability."

Parts of a Business Continuation Plan

Think about the critical functions of your business, which can be broken down into three areas: marketing, sales, and delivery/fulfillment.

Next, think about the 4 P's: people, processes, profits, and partnerships.

I want you to view each of these through the lens of disaster and disruption. How would each of these be implemented if disaster struck? Which are the most critical, and who owns each process? Ultimately, are there any backups or alternatives to explore to prevent something worse from happening?

People

Who are the people who work for you? What is their role? What is their financial position? If there is a death of a co-worker, you need to know what their capacity is and their responsibilities in your business. How much do you pay them? How and when do you pay them? This needs to be documented so that in case of disaster, the business can carry on. This also applies to YOU.

Processes

These refer to all of the systems and process documents that you've been putting off. Look at it from a marketing, sales and delivery perspective. What are the critical processes for your lead generation, making the sale, and how will you make sure you deliver on your promises to your customer. What are the tools and software you use? If something were to go down, what is your backup plan? The easiest way to do this is to go through your yearly profit and loss statement.

Profits

Think about the way you generate revenue in your business, and where it comes from (this applies to both service based and product based businesses.) If you are service based, what happens if your main lead generation mechanism isn't available any longer? What happens if your scheduling tools are no longer an option?

If you are a product based business, what happens if you are shipping in materials from other countries and they have a natural disaster? Do you have a backup supplier? How do you document your inventory?

Partnerships

These are related to your business operations. What happens if the banks collapse? What if there is a political uprising? What happens if regulations are imposed? What happens if utilities, transportation or imports are affected? What will you do and how is your business planning for these scenarios?

"You need to draft a plan and allow it to be imperfect. Put something in place, and review it every quarter."

Having a business continuation plan will decrease the emotional toll that disasters take on you. Most small businesses probably don't have one of these plans, but I want to encourage you to prioritize this work. As we experience what is happening in 2020, we need to take note of the lessons that are being taught to us. We have more to lose in a catastrophic state. If you have a business continuation plan, you are able to equip yourself to make better decisions.

Diversity and Inclusion Plan

The second operational plan that you need to establish in your business is a diversity and inclusion plan. I spent six years of my corporate experience in this area, and want to help you get this plan into place. The systemic problems with racial injustice are strongly present and we must address them.

We are seeing a lot of excitement and commitment online to eradicating racial injustice, but my biggest fear is the sustainment of it; that it will fall flat out of the competition of all the things you have to get done in your business. But, the easiest way to make a diversity and inclusion plan a reality is to actually create a plan that suits your unique business. I'm going to provide you the templates that I'm using in my business for free so that you can have the structure that you need to make these advancements in your business.

A diversity and inclusion plan is the business strategies and the practices you commit to in order to create a diverse workplace. Diversity includes race, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, family status, veteran status, generation, languages, life preferences, life experiences, personality type, physical characteristics, and thinking & learning styles.

First, evaluate the list and see where you have needs and concerns. Then start with the applicable gaps. For small businesses, it is essential to prioritize this list. Look at your values and your consumer, and I hope the advancement of anti-racism is in your value set. Therefore "race" is a value that should be at the top of your list.

Once you have your priorities/objective set, you will need to create your plan. In the coming episodes, I will be creating a diversity and inclusion audit specifically for small online businesses so you can assess your business, your brand image, your messaging, the talent and your reach. It will be the guide for starting the work that is long overdue, which will lead you in creating a diversity and inclusion plan.

I believe that these two best practices that we have outlined today have snuck out of the small business space, and they need to be present! I'm going to do it, and I hope you will join me.

Weekly Ops Activity

Come to my FB group and tell me what date will you commit to creating the business continuation plan and the diversity and inclusion plan by. I want to be your accountability partner, and I don't want us to get distracted!

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

Website

Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

Instagram

This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/48.

As a service provider, do you find yourself confused about the methods of marketing you should be using? Should you be spending your time on social media, webinars, funnels or something else?

One of the biggest frustrations we have as service providers is observing the marketing of our clients, other competitors, or gurus. We look at what they are doing, and wonder if it is what we should be doing. Today we are taking a look at service providers and how they should be building and marketing their businesses.

I'm currently kicking off the 5th round of the Director of Operations (DOO) certification program and I have been building this business on my own terms for the last 5 years. Over these years, I have had to market differently based on the goals that I had each particular time.

"You will need to tailor each marketing plan to what your individual goals are."

Pick Your Business Model

When you look 6-12 months into the future, what type of business do you see yourself building?

One-to-One

In this type of business model, your revenue will stay fairly consistent but you won't have a ton of time to market your business because of your workload. Visibility isn't as much of an issue because the primary driver will be referral based… so, make sure you are delivering top notch services.

From a marketing perspective, you want to build strong relationships, attend networking events, and be part of a paid/unpaid mastermind for a hive of top tier talent that will become a good referral base for you.

Also make yourself available for coffee chats, which can be a game changer. A coffee chat (sometimes referred to as a discovery call) is the free opportunity for a potential client to hop on the phone with you. This builds trust and provides a ton of information, which gives them what they need to make a decision.

Group Program

With this method you refine your systems and your delivery. You take the same result that you get for your one-to-one client and multiply it by offering it in a group setting. Your need to be visible will increase because you need more eyes on your offer.

Your primary marketing driver will be organic. You will need to build your know-like-trust factor because this method is built off your reputation, and you are targeting a larger audience. This is the time to start building an email list, and building out the beginning of a funnel which moves people along a customer journey. You start with an opt-in, and then nurture them while they are on your list to make sure they stay active.

Volume Based

This method is used when you are in the scaling phase of your business. It requires lots of eyeballs and a ton of visibility, meaning you need to attract lots of cold traffic (those not familiar with you). You pull them in through your marketing.

"If you're focusing on a volume based program, you will need a lot of marketing bandwidth."

Everything I describe today is how I progressively built my business. My primary method for doing this has been paid traffic, but I never stop organic marketing or accepting referrals. As visibility gets greater, I continue to build off of what works for me.

As I have narrowed my focus to the DOO certification program I need lots of people to see this offer because it's not going to be right for everyone. It's a high ticket offer, so I need to find lots of cold traffic and to give myself enough space and time to educate and connect with them.

"Look at the business model you have chosen, and make sure it is fulfilling the lifestyle and legacy goals that you have."

Pick Your Primary Driver for Marketing

It doesn't matter the stage, the best advice I can give you is to be consistent. For example:

• Social Media: Don't just post and run. Pick one platform and be consistent and engaging. This builds social proof and credibility.
• Website: Get really clear on what you are offering and make sure it is consistent throughout your site. Make sure you note what results you are getting.
• Articles: Write articles on LinkedIn or on your website blog.

Pick the path that works for you, and test it every three months (minimum) to make sure it's effective. You will also want to make sure it resonates with you and builds up your brand and visibility.

Weekly Ops Activity

Come to my private Facebook group and let me know... What business model are you utilizing (One-to-one, Group, or Volume based)? Then, tell me what primary marketing driver you are using to accomplish that.

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

Website

Private Facebook Community

Facebook Page

Instagram

This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/47.