Running a Small Business and Time Management

About that title - it's hard!  Recently, I was asked to give a short bit of advice to small business owners, opening up for the first time.  We'll, running a small business means that the successes, or failures, fall on your shoulders alone.  When I first started my vintage jewelry shop, I was centrally focused on having a great stock from which customers could pull…whatever…from.  That’s good.  That's great, really. It is something every business owner should do.  But it’s certainly not enough.  If I could only offer two bits advice,  here they are:

-Know your stock.  Specialize in a certain niche market and learn everything you can about it. You must be a master of your area. You should be the reference point, and no question should stump you.  If you find that one does, stop.  Don’t talk yourself into a corner and please, don’t make up anything you can’t verify.  Instead, a simple “Let me get back to you,” will suffice.  THEN GET BACK TO THEM.  Follow up!

-Be organized. Your entire day should be mapped out.  Sorry. Owning your own business is not a free pass to do what you want all day, especially if you’re owner, manager, clerk, expediter, press manager, etc.  Have planner - I like to go old school with the Moleskines (expensive, but good!)

 Break up the early part of your day into a few sections: marketing, responding to client calls/emails, inventory, etc.  Set aside at least 15 solid minutes each, without interruption, to do all of these things.  If you work from home, that means going to a room, locking the door and hoping the kids/dogs/cats/pirates don't kill each other in the meantime.  If you don't have a shop, or office, or an extra room in your house, go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy a readymade garage.  You can insulate it for next to nothing and have a space that belongs only to you and your business.  A shed like this, already built and primed costs less than $2500

There's a finished one on the right.  Don't you love with they've done with it? The point is to have a space and a time to get done, what needs to be done in order for your business to succeed.  Hope this helps and feel free to email me with any questions!