The Ops Authority

How are you doing during this crazy time of the COVID19 pandemic? Have you found ways to keep some sanity in your life and your business? It's a difficult time for so many, but life keeps forging ahead… have you been able to find new motivation or small wins in your days and weeks?

Today we are going to be talking about how I have found balance during this disruption of a pandemic.

A Legacy Life

Living a legacy life is super important to me. It was one of the biggest reasons I left corporate behind. I had to make a decision at the beginning of this pandemic to answer the calling of my family, my company and my students.

My life is defined by several roles; mom, wife, mentor, family leader, housewife, friend, business owner and volunteer. These are the most valuable roles to me and I want to leave a legacy within all of those areas.

I was super sad and scared when this all started, and it all felt so overwhelming at the beginning because of the uncertainty. This state is not a normal place for me and I had to decide to allow myself to feel it, and sit with it for a while. Being an operations person who likes solutions this was uncomfortable.

Afterwards, as I was trying to figure out how this whole situation was going to affect my family, I remember feeling a burst of motivation to move forward and focus on getting back to living that legacy life.

Here is a glimpse of what I've been doing to stay sane and balanced during this pandemic.

Prioritizing my health

I got back to the priority that helps me feel the most sane, which is concentrating on my health. I had more time since my kids were home, and decided to dedicate that time to myself. I've made the time to take really long walks, and this is the time I have so many great realizations about my business.

I've also resumed journaling. I figured out that if I don't do it in the morning, I find it is less motivational and encouraging… basically not the best version of me. Journaling is so helpful when I look back and see the growth.

Leave It To My Kids

I have teenagers, and with homeschooling it has been important to let go and allow them to take ownership of their work. I started out micromanaging them, which was satisfying for me originally… but I had to let go and let them own their successes.

Also, my kids are both competitive with their sports, and I decided not to beg them to do their practices. The same with kids chores... I've set the expectations and they know what is required.

"I've had to detach myself from their successes and failures and I'm now a support system rather than a drill sergeant."

Decided To Go BIG On My Business

I've made some really big shifts since February and have never felt more aligned and more excited than ever to dig into what is ahead. I usually launch twice a year, but I realized that I already had applications coming in. So instead of my next planned launch which was in September, I decided to start serving and meeting the need on a different time table.

"I've learned to be flexible and to dive into the things that are giving me life and breath at that moment."

I also tried a different launch format, and have felt so much more aligned with this method. It has also led to an overwhelming response. More about that on next week's episode!

Revolutionized My Program

The DOO certification program has doubled its content and trainings, and has added 7 additional coaches including an accountability coach and 6 expert coaches.

I had limited my calendar to two coffee chats per week, but I've decided to connect more. It just felt right to open up my calendar to people who had a similarly aligned message. I've had wonderful thoughtful conversations, which has made me realize I needed to get back into the connecting game.

We have all felt the chaos and unpredictability of this time, but these are the things that have allowed me to thrive. After getting through a few months of this, I feel more on fire in my business, and see something for myself that was so much bigger. I don't know if this would have happened had it not been for this strange situation.

Weekly Ops Activity

Please come to my private Faceboook group and let me know what you have learned through this crazy COVID time.

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/46.

Do you enjoy transforming the lives of people around you? Are you looking for fulfilling work that will allow you to be a leader and a strategic thinker?

Today's podcast is going to give you a look at how the Director of Operations Certification has transformed these four women's lives, and it will give you hope if you are struggling to create a strategic, viable business for yourself.

Each of these women had a skill set that was unrecognized and undervalued. Through our work together they were able to find and leverage their skill sets in a way that they could market and monetize them.

"They were able to fast track and find growth rather than sitting in that start up phase."

Check out the details of the DOO Certification Program if you are interested in joining us for the upcoming round of certification!

How To Transform Your Business Kristen Westcott

Kristen is a Business Growth Strategist and DOO for online coaches, course creators and service providers. She has helped others with goal setting, project management, time management, and productivity for over 10 years in the legal and education sector.

Over a year ago she was working as a learning skills strategist at a local University, and had a side business as a health and life coach for working moms. She found that she was spending a ton of time in Facebook groups helping other business owners solve their problems. She realized that she loved planning, organization, and problem solving in other businesses. It was at this point that she enrolled in the DOO certification program.

"Prior to the certification I wasn't sure how to focus in on my zone of genius and make it a full time business... Natalie helped me to see the skills that I had were actually a huge asset."

She is now a DOO in two businesses and also does business strategy coaching for another company. She does VIP days and strategic mapping plans, which truly is her zone of genius.

Lupita Santana

Lupita is the founder of The Profitable Creative, and has been in business for 4 years. She was having trouble knowing how to price retainers, and how to present herself as an expert in her field. She was used to being a VA or an hourly tech assistant, and was struggling with mindset issues around always being in an assistant role rather than taking the lead in a company. She also was having trouble organizing her strengths into a service offering that she could present to clients.

Lupita joined the certification program in Fall 2018, and she gained clarity how to confidently charge what her services and expertise were worth and how to show up as an expert.

After certification, she decided to take a specific part of the training and created a service offering around it. She offers an intensive in the strategic mapping process that is taught in the DOO certification.

"It is amazing how aligned and in love I feel with this service that I offer."

"I gained so much clarity on my strengths and also what I don't want to do… being able to pinpoint this has changed my business."

Catherine Calmes

Catherine has been an entrepreneur since 2014, and completed the DOO certification in 2019. Before certification she was struggling in her business because she didn't feel like it had a strong identity. She'd been a VA, a virtual home organizer, a productivity consultant and an OBM. She was often being asked to do tasks just because she could do them, not because she was good at them or knew what she was doing. She wanted to figure out how she could put her strengths into an offer.

She had started her business because she wanted to help women by giving them easy ways to improve their quality of life. During certification she found clarity on who she actually wanted to work with: boss moms running an online coaching business. She now knows how to best use her skills and experiences to help her clients take their business ideas and transform them into reality.

"I'm finally clear on how I want my business to scale moving forward."

Michelle Lucente

Michelle is the owner and founder of Lady Boss Operations. She officially became an entrepreneur in 2019 after leaving her full time job as an executive director at a nonprofit organization. Stepping into any role and executing was her gift. When she saw there was a need in the small business community to help business owners with the backend of their businesses, she knew she wanted to serve women business owners. But, she quickly discovered she was doing way too many things for way too many people and was experiencing burnout.

Then she found The Ops Authority Podcast. The Director of Operations concept gave an actual name to the role she had always played, but didn't know what to call it. The content gave her hope that she could make her business work without the burnout.

The DOO Certification Program and mentorship helped her discover a passion for strategy that she didn't know she had. She had always been a project manager by nature and didn't realize how passionate she was for it until going through the program.

"I am now able to focus on the skills that truly light me up and provide value for my clients and myself. I love that I can offer women-owned small businesses the opportunity to get clear on their vision and goals and create a roadmap and task management system that will keep them on the path to success."

Last Call!

Through the DOO Certification Program we are creating a profession (not a pitstop!) that allows you to be a leader. If this is something that is interesting to you and you have a core competency in operations such as financial, human resources, project management or program delivery, check out the details of the program.

Don't miss out--your chance to apply ends this Friday, May 22, 2020.

Weekly Ops Activity

Come to our Facebook group and share with us what the next step in your career journey looks like.

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/45.

Are you a project manager or do you have operations experience in your current job? Are you sick of the grind, and looking for a way to leverage your skills to work from home? Are you craving flexibility and a desire to operate in your zone of project management genius?

Today, we are talking about all of the reasons to become a Director of Operations (DOO).

Come join us for a Free 5 day sprint addressing scope creep! This is an issue which comes up all the time as a project manager. It can cause stress, time delays, and completely derail a project. In this challenge, we are going to talk about ways to make sure that doesn't happen, and what to do when it does. Join us for The Scope Creep Solution!

What is a Director of Operations?

A DOO is an operational leader that supports in a 6 or 7 figure business. These businesses usually have high revenues generated from 2-3 product lines, and have (or are building) teams. They are ready to grow to the next level, so they are looking to bring in a leader to take care of the backside of the business.

DOOs strategically assist the CEOs and are cross functional leaders. They usually have 5+ years of experience in corporate or in managing their own business, and project management is their main skill set. DOOs allow leaders to step into their zone of genius and focus on their strategic vision.

During this pandemic, online businesses have been thriving and as these businesses grow, you will also see the need for quality DOOs grow. If you have the skill set to become a DOO, this is the best time to transition yourself to online business. Many businesses are scrambling to find qualified operators to help them grow and optimize their businesses.

The Benefits of Becoming a Director of Operations

1. You Can Stay in Your Zone of Genius as a DOO

As a DOO, you have a project management skill set. You can research, analyze data and financials, have the ability to anticipate needs, and implement. Your zone of genius is getting things done, and as a DOO you'll get to operate in this genius 100% of the time. You will get to embrace your role without getting distracted by the day to day tasks. Instead, you will be strategically leading a team and upholding the vision for the business leader.

2. You're Ready For a Higher Level of Delivery

You've been doing ¼ of what you've been dreaming of doing, and another ¾ of what feels like an obligation. But, once you make the leap to a DOO, you will be providing a higher level of delivery and you will feel much more fulfilled. You will feel in your zone.

"When you deliver at a higher level, you will attract higher level clients and higher level businesses."

The impact you can have personally is gratifying and you can see the ripple effect of how your work goes into the world on a larger scale.

"Your value is in supporting others."

3. You'll Simplify Your Business

When you are able to get a higher level of clients, they are able to appreciate what you can do for them at a higher degree and this will be reflected in how you are compensated. As you perfect what you do and have a singular focus, your business will become simplified. You will start to singularly focus on a smaller amount of businesses, while making the same amount of money. This will lead to less stress, more time for yourself, and the ability to make a bigger impact in the businesses you serve.

4. Be The Leader You Are

You will step into the role of an operational leader, and have the ability to have candid strategic discussions with your CEO. You'll be able to cast your vision for business and reflect it back to the CEO, and lead their staff like your own. This allows you to be a true leader in the industry of operators, but internally.

5. Strategically Guide the Leader and the Business

Something unique about my DOO certification program is that you will get a license in the strategic mapping model, and as an outcome you will be at an executive level in a thriving business.

6. You'll Have a Genuine Profession

This is a true profession, not a pitstop, and I am building my brand around it. The ability to use the skills you've acquired in corporate will allow you to have a long lasting profession by serving online businesses and leaders. This is a structure that will stand the test of time, and uses principals that have come out of corporate, including human resources, project management, communication, financials and strategy.

"This is a profession, not a pit stop."

7. Never-ending Learning

The profile of a DOO is a fact finder and a learner. You will be able to learn any industry you work in, and the learning never ends. You'll have the ability to become an expert in the particular industry you're working in, which may open up other doors for you in your own business.

8. Compensation

If you do a retainer model, compensation will usually be set… but at some point, I encourage you to talk about profit sharing. This is a way to scale your business, and because of the influence and success you are bringing to a business, there will come a time to have this conversation. This isn't something you would be able to do as a lower level service provider, so once you have proven success in several areas, it is totally reasonable.

"When you effect and create change in a business, you should be compensated in a greater way."

This program launches soon! If these amazing benefits sound good to you,

or if you are an operations expert in any capacity, check out at the DOO certificate program.

Also, don't forget to join us for the 5 day sprint, The Scope Creep Solution!

Weekly Ops Activity

If you are a service provider, come to the Facebook group and let us know what the vision of your business is in the next 3-5 years. What do you want your business to look like? From there, you can determine if the DOO certification program would be right for you!

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/44.

Do you have skills you've already perfected? Are you looking to make a good living by using those gifts in new ways?

If you're an operations expert and want to break through to new levels, you're invited to my upcoming 5 day sprint. We are going to solve one of the biggest problems that holds people back: scope creep! Sign up now, because the sprint begins May 11th.

Today, I'm sharing my story of how I arrived at the Director of Operations life.

My Story

Five years ago, I transitioned from corporate life into entrepreneurship, although not intentional. I first started my path and found myself leveraging project management and human resource skills that corporate helped me acquire. My journey through corporate allowed me to hone the skills that would help me find my forever career. It was exhausting and challenging at times, but it allowed me to refine the skill sets that I would later utilize as an entrepreneur.

I stumbled into the world of online business unintentionally. I started a passion project to help moms find joy in their professional space, as well as at home. While I was in Facebook groups, and trying to build a Facebook Group, I was learning to look at marketing in a whole new way. This is where I discovered this underground world of online business.

I was under the impression that the only way you could make money from home was through e-commerce, or selling on eBay. I had just left corporate America where working from home work was not looked upon favorably; I had tried to convince my superiors that it was a possibility, but to no avail.

I began to believe it too… I didn't think I could work from home as an entrepreneur, and didn't think my skill set would actually be successful as a freelancer.

But this all started to change as I started to deeply connect with women all over the world through organic and natural conversations in Facebook groups. They had questions and struggles in their business, and I had the experience and the framework and was able to create transformations for them.

"It was all organic. I didn't have any business plan; just genuine conversations."

Doing this on my terms was exciting. I was repeatedly told that I was creating a change that people hadn't experienced before, despite working with coaches and consultants. I was helping these folks to move past obstacles to do more in their business with less effort.

The Ops Authority is Born

I leveraged my corporate training, created repeatable frameworks, built a team and worked really hard to create offers that would allow me to replace my corporate executive income... something I never thought I'd be able to do.

"I served my peers, then I continued to up-level the client that I was supporting."

Soon I was supporting fewer businesses because I was going into greater depth; this was the balance that I dreamt of. But, after 2½ years of serving clients one-on-one, I was also dreaming of scaling my business.

I started speaking about my proprietary system, getting the attention of bigger and bigger business owners who wanted me to speak at their events. This led me to higher level businesses, but the problem was that I couldn't serve all of those businesses. When these leaders reached out to me I would connect them to my friends and peers who had certain skill sets… but the relationships wouldn't often work out, and I felt responsible.

I tried an agency to try to duplicate myself, but it just didn't fit my lifestyle. The leaders wanted my attention at all times, and more people needed more of me. I left corporate to have more balance in my family, so the agency model was not sustainable.

I had to figure out how to scale my business without an agency model, and landed on the DOO certification program. Today, The Ops Authority is an education company that certifies and mentors ops experts. I took my 15 years of experience and created proprietary systems and frameworks specifically for online businesses that allows them to satisfactorily scale.

"I not only have created a pathway for professional women to leverage their gifts, experience, and knowledge to get paid… I've also created a path for them to up-level their clients, their income, and their impact."

Objections Women Have Overcome

In the past 2 years of certifying DOOs, I've been a part of dozens of breakthroughs. These women have all tried to tell me one or more of the following:

1. I'm not qualified.

It's most likely the type of clients you are attracting that make you feel this way.

2. I don't have the experience to do what you've done.

False. Every DOO has a specialty. You already have what you need to be a DOO, but you just need a path forward in the form of support and mentorship.

3. I haven't had any online clients or experience working in the online space.

That's exactly who I was! The skills you have in your previous career are transferable.

4. I'm scared I won't replace my corporate income.

You can do this without bureaucracy or crumby bosses. Bonus, you can do this from your home and lead your life on your terms!

5. I'm longing for a higher level client but don't know how to make the leap.

You need a networked mentor, and it only takes one genuine connection that will recognize your value and genius.

6. I don't have time for another course. You spend way too much time searching for perfection, but the DOO certification program is a transformative educational experience that will allow you to up-level your client, business, and your life.

All of these objections have been disproved. I am proof because I have overcome all of these, and I have also been a part of seeing 57 qualified, experienced women up-level their lives by completing this DOO training. They couldn't see it for themselves at the time, but they are now professionals leading the way.

"The skills that you're using in your career right now are transferable."

If you've been interested in this type of transformation, join me for my upcoming 5 day sprint, The Scope Creep Solution. This sprint begins May 11th, and you will get a week of free training, and a peek into the skills and techniques that I teach every DOO. If you're a project manager, an ops expert, or a business manager, you don't want to miss out.

Weekly Ops Activity

Sign up for the Scope Creep Solution, beginning May 11th!

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/43.

Are you thinking of becoming an online project manager? Do you thrive when managing people, projects, and systems? If you are wondering what kind of challenges online project managers face, this episode is for you.

I spent lots of years in corporate as a project manager, and also in human resources before I transitioned into the online space. In the past 4 years of my journey of entrepreneurship and self employment, I've identified the most common challenges that you will likely face as an online project manager.

4 Common Project Manager Challenges Lack of Clarity Around Goals

You want to get a full understanding of the entire project, so you sit down with the leader to gather details and create a comprehensive plan. But beware, the visionary will want to push through this really fast; they might even want to skip it all together. They can only see the outcome; they don't like the fine details like you do.

After all, that is why they are hiring you. They don't think about the implications of looking at this from a financial perspective, and charting how many sales they need to make the project profitable.

"The more information you have about the entire business, the better you will be able to do your job."

This is where a Director of Operations (DOO) can be beneficial because they will have the strategic mapping knowledge. A DOO who is integrated into the entire business will be able to see the bigger picture.

The Variety of Communication Systems

A critical part of planning project management is communication. As you manage people and projects, you'll notice that as the project gets underway the teams' natural preferences start to emerge.They will always try to divert back to their old ways. You may begin the project with a solid communication plan, but over time, it will be tested.

A common plan is to place decisions, statuses and tasks in one location like

Trello. However, when all the conversations around the project start happening, you don't want all of that to be housed in the same place where decisions and statuses are occurring.

You will want to encourage people to have those conversations in another tool such as Slack or Voxer, which are more suited for ongoing discussion. This is a challenge you will have to stay on top of, and I encourage you to create a system at the very beginning, outlining what is acceptable.

"Keep reminding and course correcting your team, because you want communication to be as clear as possible."

The Wavering Support of Your Team

When you work with contractors, remember that you most likely won't be their only client. The project you are paying them for will have split attention, and split support. You will have to create a project plan with that in mind, and set your timelines appropriately. You will also have to have excellent management and follow up skills.

If you have the ability to hire the team, you can use this to your advantage. DOOs have a true system that I created, which is called Hiring Simplified and if you go through the certified DOO program, you get access to this system.

You need to look at what the contractors work life looks like, and analyze how you will need them. Since you created a project plan, you will know how much you will need to utilize them in the coming weeks and months.

Scope Creep

You know what it's like… you start getting messages that the leader wants something new added. It's not wrong for your leader to want to dream and innovate... if fact, you are allowing them to do this by taking so much off their plate. They just don't realize that it throws off the project plan, and that is what you are being paid for.

Leaders also don't realize the time and resources that it will take when they want to add something once a project is live. You have a project plan in place that has timelines and time commitments from other contractors.

Scope creep has an enormous ripple effect and is something we all have to be conscious of. More often than not, these leaders are not willing to move a launch date, and this leaves you in a predicament. You'll either be forced to have a difficult conversation or you bear the brunt of it. You'll end up putting in late nights, doing things you aren't skilled in or calling in favors. This is not healthy for you or the project.

Scope creep can come up in contracts, and also relationships. It is not okay, but there are ways we can handle it. This is what I'm going to be sharing with you in my upcoming 5 day sprint. Sign up for The Scope Creep Solution which will start on May 11th. Can't wait to see you there!

Weekly Ops Activity

On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you address scope creep in your projects, relationships and contracts? A score of 1 means you totally avoid it, a score of 10 means you are the boss at having those difficult conversations. Tell us in the Facebook group!

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/42.

Have you been unhappy with the team you've assembled? Do you feel like there is a better way to find people who are committed to helping your business succeed? How do you go about finding the right people and the right roles that will fit seamlessly into your business?

I'm joined today by my dear friend, Chanie Wilschanski, who I have partnered with on several different hiring experiences. We are sharing a behind-the-scenes case study from Chanie's experience of what it looks like to scale your team, and also to rebuild it.

Behind the Scenes of School of Excellence with Chanie Wilschanski The Business Model of School of Excellence

The School of Excellence helps early childhood leaders build and sustain their schools of excellence through retention, leadership, culture, skill development, and accountability. We give them the tools and blueprints they need to sustain the quality of excellence they want with themselves, families and staff.

How Chanie Grew Her Team

• Had a multiple contractors working for her in different time zones
• Realized she needed to hire people who were integrated into her business
• Had a lot of skilled contractors who were contributing, but also busy building their own thing
• Reached out to get help building a team

When Chanie Knew Something Had to Change

• Breakdowns in each pillar of business
• Team members weren't able to think ahead, just doing their specific task
• Found herself proofing work and worrying about the quality of her contractors work
• There were mistakes that were a result of carelessness

"When someone's not integrated into the business, they aren't thinking a few steps ahead." - Chanie Wilschanski

The Success of Growing Her Team

• Started with strategic mapping and identified priorities
• First hired someone who would take massive ownership of lead generation
• Leveraged her experts and gave them true autonomy
• Hired experts rather than entry level, so they wouldn't need so much support in the beginning
• Hired a Director of Operations (DOO)

How a DOO Has Changed Her Business

• Imperative to have someone who owns projects, understands her scope of work and the key metrics for the business
• Instructed DOO to call Chanie out when she is doing busy work that isn't moving the business forward
• DOO can follow up with team members and contacts, then give Chanie the info she needs to make a decision
• Gives her the headspace to work on key activities that move the business forward

The Greatest Value of Having a DOO

• Found that she truly enjoys leadership
• Enjoys the hard parts of leadership: uncomfortable conversations, performance management, holding people accountable, pushing people to want more from themselves, being comfortable with pivoting
• Finds joy in seeing how the team rises

The Hardest Part of Expanding Her Team

• Realizing that you are accountable for people's livelihood
• Constantly treading the water between pushing them and giving them ownership of the outcome

Re-thinking the Community Manager Position

School of Excellence sells 3 key products:

• Summit of Excellence: A live event which helps leaders plan for the school year
• Directors Inner Circle: An online membership that helps directors with tools and strategies to sustain excellence
• Owners Only Headquarters: Helps owners of private schools lead their administrative teams

The Head of Community is the head of the product for Directors Inner Circle and Owners Only Headquarters. This position evolved into a leadership position because this is directly tied to revenue.

About The Ripple Effect

• Ripple Effect TV is her YouTube channel
• The school leader is at the epicenter of the ripple effect; thoughts habits actions, mindset, & routines have an effect on the teachers, parents, schools and communities

"No matter who you are, you are the center of the ripple effect for your life." - Chanie Wilschanski

Key Takeaways of the Process

• Had to get out of the day to day and release some control
• Open to move from directorship to leadership
• Spent 1 year building team she feels confident in
• You will benefit greatly if you are coachable

Advice for Those Looking to Scale

"There is a difference between wanting something and being ready for something." - Chanie Wilschanski

• You know someone is ready for feedback when they don't deflect a compliment; use this test on yourself
• When people work hard for me, how do I express gratitude? You must be able to let people know they are adding value.
• Can you receive feedback? Your team needs to feel comfortable speaking up when it's in the best interest of your business.

Find Chanie:

YouTube

Learn more about gratitude

Chanie Wilschanski is an Early Childhood Leadership Coach and Culture Specialist, and she has had the privilege of working with hundreds of EC Directors who are working to build a School of Excellence.

Chanie began her journey over a decade ago, teaching toddlers at the acclaimed Preschool of the Arts in NYC.

Continuing her path into higher studies, she got her Masters in EC and Special Education, and started training teachers and school leaders on the HOW part of creating excellence in their schools.

Through her journey, Chanie got married and had 4 children. Her hands are full! Chanie knows what it takes to lead a large center and have a full-time job at home as well.

Previous Episodes Mentioned

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

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/41.

Our world is in crisis at the current moment with the coronavirus pandemic. As we navigate our roles in our clients businesses, what are ways we can show up and serve? How can we be a steady, reliable voice that can help keep things moving forward? How can we truly prove our value?

The emotional toll this change has brought is just now starting to be realized. I'm currently in the middle of delivering the 4th round of my Director of Operations Certification program, and on our live call this last week, I noticed a theme amongst several of my students who are in client relationships. The question was:

"How do I show up to fully support my leader who is in crisis?"

Crisis right now can look a variety of ways, but one of the main ways it is affecting business owners is in regards to their finances. Potential financial changes are causing leaders to make irrational financial decisions.

"The leaders you have partnered with are different… the ways you have supported them in the past are going to have to change to meet them where they are today."

Ways To Manage Up

1. Focus on Delivering Value

If you focus on your gifts, and really delivering at this time, you are going to take stress off of them. You don't actually need to do anything different; you already have this inside you and this is why they chose to hire you. Channel your first 30-60 days, and mimic the peak delivery of those days. This will help you with maintaining this relationship you've nurtured, and the financial stability of the relationship for a longer period of time.

2. Emotionally Support Your Leader

Be empathetic and listen to them. Conversations may not always be about strategy but may be about family dynamics or whatever they are going through. Personality matters when we build teams. Leverage your personality, and be a good friend.

Make sure you understand and uphold your boundaries, but don't over-serve your leader and under-serve yourself. We often help so much that we can be self sacrificial. Remember, you are also balancing a lot of the same things your leader is. You may have to adjust how you've been working in the past, because we are all living different lives than we have in the past.

"Not only is your leader different, realize you are different too."

3. Communicate Clearly

Let them know when you will be available to help them. Give them your boundaries, and let them know your availability and what they can expect. The clearer you can be with them, the more they can leverage you.

Take Strategic Action

The truth is that no one knows where this ends, and that creates an enormous amount of stress. There is a lack of control for these business owners, but this is an opportunity for you to provide value in this situation.

Set Up a Meeting

Get ahead of this and schedule a call to brainstorm:

• Is there a new offer or opportunity?
• Is there a new communication method for their audience?
• Is there a new strategic direction for the business that you can help navigate?
• Make sure you understand your most important objective within the business (which may have changed)

"Everyone will have to change... be the leader they need you to be."

"You really manage up when you take charge of the conversation and bring valuable insights to that conversation."

Strategically Prepare Yourself

Think about your client and what their priorities are. Come prepared with different ideas about how you can bring value through thought leadership, team leadership, and ideation. You will see the stress melt off of them when they understand you are ready to deliver.

"Directors of operations give three things to businesses: direction, clarity, and a plan."

Mentally Prepare Yourself

You will also need to mentally prepare yourself. Your client will lean on you for emotional support, factual support, and for strength.

• Make sure you know your limits and how your work life is shifting
• Make sure you have dedicated time without distractions
• Be sure you are equipped with the right mindset

All of this will allow you to show up as a different level of leader in this crisis, and prove yourself as an invaluable member of the team.

Did you find value in today's episode? Help me get the message out! Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/40.

What does it look like to bring on a DOO into an already successful and established business? How will you, the business owner, be able to trust someone to come in and take the reins from you? How do you relinquish that control?

In this episode I talk with two powerhouses who have joined forces; Emily Williams of I Heart My Life, and her Director of Operations (DOO), Megan Hansell Henderson.

I'm excited for you to hear how this powerful combination works in their business, so you can see what is possible in your own business. Whether you are working in the CEO or the operator role, you are going to get to hear about the struggles, the benefits, and get a peek behind the curtain of this business.

Behind the Scenes of I Heart My Life with CEO Emily Williams and DOO Megan Hansell Henderson

The Business Model of I Heart My Life

• #1 personal and professional development platform for women who know they're meant for something big
• Help women create more success & wealth with a holistic approach
• Help start online businesses, and create success in mindset, relationships, & health
• Offer courses, live programs, events, memberships, books, podcasts
• Megan has been supporting the business in the DOO role for the past 4 months

What Emily's Organization Looked Like 6 Months Ago

• Waited too long to hire to support the vision of the company
• Needed a lot of support and help with overall growth, establishing process, streamlining, hiring, etc.
• Doing everything; was starting to get resentful of the business

"Even the weakest link in your business doesn't make or break your business… you do." - Natalie Gingrich

How It Felt for Megan to Join Forces with Emily

• Balance each other out; Emily moves fast and Megan slows her down
• Both ready to move company to next level; was able to execute in a short period of time
• Correct interview process helped to identify a good match

Behind the Scenes of Hiring a DOO Emily's Mindset Before Hiring

• The pain got so great; couldn't not move forward
• Moved from London to US and had to rebuild company, started to resent how she was working in the company and was not happy with how she was executing
• Figured out what needed to happen to move closer to company vision
• Contacted Natalie and started to map out infrastructure of the company
• Had big goals and visions, just needed people in place to make it happen
• Fear of time it takes to train somebody

"I make decisions based on where I want to be, not from where I currently am." - Emily Williams

Megan's Onboarding Process

• Started with strategic mapping
• Megan was able to see the big picture vision right away
• Could see vision for Emily as well
• Had live event in January, and was immersed into the company
• Done more in 90 days than most people do in a year

"The higher level of person you hire into your business, the easier it is to onboard them." - Natalie Gingrich

The Benefits of the CEO/DOO Partnership:

Benefits for Emily:

• Megan was the onboarder for herself and she was able to map it out
• Strategic mapping process was incredible
• Allowing Megan to be herself and bring her brilliance to the table
• Recognizing that this is a relationship that will develop over time

Benefits for Megan:

• Being able to step in and help Emily map everything out
• Emily empowered me to make my own decisions
• Emily has balance of knowing when to step in and when to step back

"As a leader we have to be coachable. Having two way coaching and open communication is critical in the success of the partnership" - Natalie Gingrich

The Challenges of the CEO/DOO Relationship

As the DOO:

• Getting up and running and make sure you can take care of things quickly, to get results and prove your value
• Challenged to get to the next level

Advice for listeners who have a hard time trusting and relinquishing control

Emily's perspective:

• Ask yourself if you are showing up as the next level version of you
• Base your decisions on where you want to be not where you are now
• Evaluate how you are showing up and evaluate if that is hurting or helping your company
• Be honest & real, allow people to give feedback, being able to ask for help
• Be open and willing to get curious
• Leave the manager role behind and step into leadership

Growing a team is never going to be simple. But once you find talented people, have the trust and faith to step forward into your own leadership journey. When you step forward and pull up someone else into your business, you just might end up with a powerful combination like Emily and Megan's.

Connect with Emily & I Heart My Life:

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Emily Williams, Founder at I Heart My Life, is a 7-figure success coach and author. In 2010, Emily moved to London. She started writing. And in 2014, she launched her business. She made $442 the first month—and hit six figures in six months. Inside of 18 months, she hit seven figures—a meteoric rise that would be impressive for anyone, let alone a small-town girl from Ohio.

Today, she coaches women all over the world, helping them break free of their limiting beliefs so they move forward towards their goals by getting into massive action. She specializes in money mindset, success mindset and helping driven women create a life and business better than their dreams.

Megan Hansell Henderson is an Operations Maven who works with CEO's to redefine their mission and vision to bring them OUT of their business in order to get to the next level. Megan believes that by removing the CEO from the daily operations and allowing the CEO to focus on their zone of genius, it allows the CEO to get back their sanity and the company to grow. She has helped business owners maintain balance by drawing on her experiences over the past 20+ years, including 6 years in the entrepreneurial space. A graduate of Rutgers University's MBA Program, Megan has a passion for business operations, marketing strategy, non-profit management, Tang Soo Do karate, advocating for developmental disability awareness and spending time with her family. She is also a Certified Director of Operations.

Other Ways to Connect with Me:

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/39.

The effects of coronavirus are raging all around us, and business owners are feeling the stress. Lots of questions are hanging over our heads, but in times of crisis how do you know what you should do about your team?

Over the last week, I've received multiple emails and texts from previous clients reaching out and expressing the concern that they have to cut their entire team. I understand... it is a scary, anxious, unnerving time, and they are afraid they won't be able to generate revenue, or pay their team.

But I want to convey to business owners that this is not the way to go. This episode is all about how this crisis affects your team and the decisions you have to make as a small business owner.

Steps For Assessing Your Team In a Crisis

Here is my strategy for how to make responsible decisions when you are feeling the need to cut your team because of this crisis.

1. Evaluate Your Cash Reserves

If you've reinvested some money back in your business, see how much you have in your rainy day fund. A majority of you probably don't have this, and there is no judgement here. But if you do have some cushion, determine your burn rate, which is how long can you continue to pay your current expenses (people, tools, etc.).

2. Trim the Fat

You may have more fat than you'd like, since the economy had been so good over the past decade. Go through your bank statement and look at every single expense. Make a list of any tool you have been using that you don't really need; get rid of them or find a cheaper alternative. If you can't see the value a tool is providing you, cut it. Also, look at subscriptions and recurring costs and evaluate if you need to continue with them.

3. Start Considering Your Teams Costs

If you still don't have enough cash reserves, you can start to look at your team. Who on your team is adding value, who can't you live without, and whose hours can you cut?

I'd strongly recommend cutting a team member's hours, rather than cutting the position entirely. Also, I don't believe you should be cutting 10% or 50% across the board. You can't do this in small businesses, because everybody has a different weight and importance level.

"The closer the person is to the transaction, the more they should be retained."

If they are further from the transaction, you may want to cut their hours for a little bit of cushion.

4. Cutting Staff Entirely

Don't cut every single teammate. Look at your needs and look at the team objectively. Base your decision on skill and how close they are to transaction.

For example, if you don't need graphic design right now, you can cut the position. Remember, this doesn't mean they will never be part of your team again. If you have a small project they could do for you, transition from a retainer to a project based relationship with them.

Create a matrix, and order and prioritize those positions in a ranking style. Consider:

• who is the most critical to your team
• who is the least critical
• start at the bottom and cut the person entirely (after you've cut their hours and saved a little money).

If you start with #4, you are doing yourself a massive disservice. The reason you got to this point in your business is likely because you were ready to scale, so you grew your team. The way you scale your business is with people. So during times like this when we are pinched from a dollar perspective, we have to figure out how to scale this back.

"The only way you can remove yourself from the directing to the leading, is to bring people in to do the work for you."

If you remove everybody from your business, you will have to go back to the basics. You'll have to decrease your production level, and decrease your productivity. You can't do everything… it's impossible to get all those hours in. You can't do the work of 4 people.

Also, do not forget their expertise:

• They helped you to scale.
• They helped you create better systems, and helped you innovate on products, systems and projects.
• Remember the amount of time it took you to get this team operational.

"You move faster, further by having different points of view."

The economy will come back, but we have zero control when that is going to happen. If this is short term, I don't want you to burn down the ship. If people are ready to put money in your pocket and you can't fulfill because you let everybody go, you won't be able to help as many people.

5. Reduce Your Pay

I want this to be the last resort. You cannot forget that the only person who is going to take care of you is you, and I want you to protect your salary all the way to the very end. If you do have to take a personal pay cut, make sure you stagger it.

"Don't prioritize reducing your salary before everybody else's."

I want to serve you and help you preserve the business that you've built that has provided so much stability for your family. Follow me on Facebook, as I will be going live often to share tips on how you can continue to thrive in these uncertain times.

Weekly Ops Activity

Pop into The Ops Insiders Facebook group, and tell me how much money you found in systems and tools that you are not utilizing that you could reinvest back into your business.

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/38.

It's a crazy, all consuming time with the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. As business owners, we want to lead the way in times of stress, but what can we do? How can we continue to serve our people in the face of uncertainty? What can we do behind the scenes that will make a difference in our businesses?

First of all, realize that you are a leader. If you are a business owner, you are a risk taker who took a bold step to set up a business. You are a leader and can lead through these uncertain times.

Today I'm sharing 8 actionable items that you can put into action to help you get through this time in business and in life.

1. Create a Strategy

If you need help creating a strategy, check out Episode 5. If you want someone to walk you through strategy, you can reach out to me for a strategic mapping. I have a community of operators who would love to partner with you in this.

Having a strategy in your business is a requirement today.

"Businesses who have a strategy have cash reserves."

If you don't have a strategy, there's never been a better time to create one. Start by defining your mission, vision and values. Figure out the way you show up, why you show up, what your future looks like and from there create a strategic plan to get you to that place.

If you do have a current strategy, it's time to revisit it... because you will have to adjust.

2. Serve and Sell

Continuously serve your audience, your customers, and your followers. Lean into them and continue to sell. Putting money into circulation will be vital.

"Don't stop selling… the economy requires us to continuously make transactions."

Another way to serve organically is through content. You will have more time to work on things that have been on the back burner. Stay in front of your audience so they will remember you when it's time to buy again.

3. Focus on Your Relationships

Nurture your previous relationships. When we are strapped for time, we go to the revenue generating activities. But now that you have more time:

• nurture the people who have bought from you or who follow you
• build new relationships
• create new partnerships
• pour into communities and build strong relationships

4. Revisit Your Good, Better, Best Goals

"A Good goal covers expenses, a Better goal gives discretionary spending, and a Best goal is wildly beautiful."

During times of crisis, focus on the good goal and do everything in your power to hit it. This means you might need to change your offers. Also, look at your financials and cancel tools you aren't using or subscriptions you aren't taking advantage of.

During these times, you might be asking "Do I need to cut my team?"

If you are scaling your business, and want to remain a scaled business, the last resource you want to cut is your team. Don't cut the talent that has grown you to this point. These are the people who are going to help you innovate.

"In times of economic crisis, the people who win are those who can get the products out the fastest."

5. Innovate

You can create great new products and offers during down time. Look back to your

values. Have you let money guide your decisions? Are you working with the audience you want to? Are the products you've created aligned with your values? Right now, we have pause, and can change the ways we are showing up for people.

Take the opportunity to decide what aligns with you and how you are going to prepare your audience and your business so you are ready to shoot out of the gates when the time comes.

6. Communicate

You have people who are paying you and listening to you, and I want you to connect with them frequently. If you are a service provider and others are depending on your services, show up and lead the leader. Most of the world has their kids at home. If you are someone who is delivering services, practice the best communication ever so they know what to expect from you. This will provide an amazing amount of value.

7. Clean Up

Clean up your files, existing workflows and processes, website, Google Drive, email sequences… whatever! This actually requires you to sit down, be focused and do some of the grunt work. Take 30 minutes a day to do this, and it will feel like a gift.

8. Give Grace

Connect with people on a human level. Realize you are potentially working with people who have loved ones affected with coronavirus. People are mostly good, I want you to extend these people lots of grace because if you give grace at this time, it will come back to you.

I'm rooting for you! Love your family, wash your hands, pay attention to the backside of your business, and know that you are in good hands.

Previous Episodes Mentioned

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

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This episode was first published at theopsauthority.com/podcast/37.