Should You Try to Scale Everything?
Jul 01, 2024In today's episode, Shannon dives into the often misunderstood concept of scaling in business. The episode, titled "Should You Try to Scale Everything?", is a treasure trove of insights for entrepreneurs grappling with the pressures and the allure of scaling their businesses.
Shannon begins by distinguishing between growth and scaling. Growth typically involves increasing resources at the same pace as revenue, while scaling aims to improve efficiency to increase output without a proportional increase in resources. It’s about automating processes and doing more with less effort. But not every aspect of your business should be scaled, and certainly not all at once.
Shannon emphasizes that the entrepreneurial community is often obsessed with the idea of scaling. The term has become a buzzword, synonymous with success. However, premature scaling can put your business at risk. Before scaling, it’s crucial to ensure that your internal processes are robust enough to handle increased demands. Shannon suggests having clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place. This ensures that anyone stepping into your business can understand how things work without constant supervision. However, she advises against scaling customer-facing processes, such as customer intake or marketing, too early in the game. These areas often require a personal touch to build trust and authenticity with your client base.
Shannon shares personal anecdotes highlighting how some of her biggest business breakthroughs came from unscalable actions. Directly messaging potential clients, sending personalized voice notes, and creating content from the heart helped her forge strong relationships and gain loyal clients. These actions may not be efficient, but they are effective. For Shannon, and for many service-based businesses, the goal isn’t to reach as many people as possible. It’s to form deep, meaningful connections with a select few who truly resonate with your message and offering.
While automation can save time, it shouldn’t come at the expense of effectiveness. Shannon warns against the trap of automating everything just for the sake of ease. Sometimes, less is more. By simplifying your business processes and focusing on what truly works, you can provide a more authentic and impactful customer experience. Shannon uses her experience with a text messaging tool called Community to illustrate this point. Despite having the option to automate, she chose to write her own messages, often in real-time. This personalized approach helped her build genuine relationships with her audience, something that generic automated messages could never achieve.
One of the standout moments from the episode is Shannon's discussion on reevaluating the purpose of your actions. Instead of trying to do more faster, take a step back to assess what actions are genuinely moving the needle for your business. Shannon points out that you don't need to do everything at scale if it’s not serving you. For example, she has found that writing her own emails, while seemingly less efficient, has led to greater engagement. Her audience is more likely to respond to a heartfelt message crafted by Shannon herself than to a generic automated email. This shift in strategy has led to more meaningful conversations and stronger relationships with her followers.
To wrap up, Shannon offers some practical advice: Focus on what works and refine those processes. Maintain a personal touch even as you scale. Use automation tools wisely to enhance, not replace, the personal elements of your business. Regularly assess your strategies to ensure they align with your business goals and values. Scaling your business can be a powerful way to grow, but it’s essential to approach it thoughtfully. Shannon’s insights remind us that while efficiency is important, it should never overshadow the need for authenticity and genuine human connection. By staying true to these principles, you can build a business that not only scales but thrives.
What you'll hear in this episode:
03:41 Building relationships through personal, unscalable actions is key.
08:28 Choose quality over quantity in reaching clients.
10:34 Simplify to focus on personalized, unscalable interactions.
If you like this episode, check out:
How Do You Build a Business with an Exit Strategy in Mind?
Not Having This Can Ruin the Sale of Your Business
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