tips from business owners!

[Paul Jenks]

If you want to grow your business/company there are certain aspects of any business that can be subcontracted out or be given to an administrative assistant directly employed. (Here I don't mean growing to become a worldwide conglomerate. Just growing it to make it run better for the owner.)

If the idea of employing someone is a bit daunting try subbing out your phone answering or your bookkeeping. Pretty soon you realise, assuming you've picked a reasonable company to do this work for you, that if you employed a person they could answer the phone, do the books, type up quotes, book in quotes, fill in the planning apps and make the tea. If you develop a sensible set of systems the employed person can follow and enhance, even if they leave, your systems are not in turmoil and you can employ someone else to take over the role. Doesn't have to be full time to begin with.

The key purpose to this is to free up your time to get on with the joys of cutting trees.

 

And, as Mr Blair pointed out, try reading 'The E-Myth Re-visited' written by Michael Gerber. Look for it on Amazon. If your'e serious about business it'll be the best £8 you'll ever spend. (The E stands for Entrepenurial)

[Tully]

- Traditional Loggers.

 

Getting paid at end of every job is something i need to start doing. I always email my invoices for sake of keeping track on computer but i end up being buys to email them for sometimes couple weeks. Looking into carbon copy nvoice books this week so i don't have to spend a day invoicing everyone once a month.

 

What I do is make my invoices at the start of the week, so they are on the spreadsheets and i have hard copies at the end of each day..

[Hodge]

- Traditional Loggers.

 

Getting paid at end of every job is something i need to start doing. I always email my invoices for sake of keeping track on computer but i end up being buys to email them for sometimes couple weeks. Looking into carbon copy nvoice books this week so i don't have to spend a day invoicing everyone once a month.

 

I have an invoice book in the landy, printed letter head with my logo, at the end of the job I write them an invoice and usually get paid, sometimes you get the old " I haven't got my cheque book I will send it in the post".

[swinny]

As for invoicing, i have a small reciept book just for small stuff and for firewood etc.... as for different jobs i have a tmeplate with my logo on/ letter head etc...... only just designed this.

 

My question is this..... to get a book sorted from a printing firm and pay 150.00 + or to buy some 2 part ncr paper and print "X" amount off per week to take along with you?

[Stephen Blair]

Paul Jenks advice has turned my business around since October, I was Focusing on the wrong part of the business, I couldn't see the problem that was staring me in the face.

I now sub in 5 guys to do the work I tried to do myself , they do it better and I manage the work. I am now the goffer and organiser, I am the little frantic legs of the swan that makes it look so graceful above water.

But each of them take part of the stress that I used to carry all by myself.

[farmer_ben]

I have an invoice book in the landy, printed letter head with my logo, at the end of the job I write them an invoice and usually get paid, sometimes you get the old " I haven't got my cheque book I will send it in the post".

 

hodge, who done the printed invoice book for you? i need to get one done but struggling to find a decent company to do one for me, and what was the cost?

[Dog Tag]

hodge, who done the printed invoice book for you? i need to get one done but struggling to find a decent company to do one for me, and what was the cost?

 

Two colored invoices one black ( customer copy ) one blue ( your copy ). Carbon paper. Make up your own invoice book.

[butler]

My advice, get out there and work hard, simples

[GardenKit]

Its obvious from this thread that no two businesses are the same, and that different business models, suit different people. This is OK.

 

It also comes across that there are are 3 main types of businesses / owners

 

1) the guys who see an opportunity to improve things and go for it. This is good.

 

2) those who have a good business, low stress, good earnings, and are quite happy where they are. This is also good.

 

3) those who bring in the negatives, " I cant get this much" "there is too much competition" etc etc. They want more but dont try hard enough to get it. This is BAD. These guys should listen to 1 and 2, and up their game. They can do it if they try.

[likeitorlumpit]

Paul Jenks advice has turned my business around since October, I was Focusing on the wrong part of the business, I couldn't see the problem that was staring me in the face.

I now sub in 5 guys to do the work I tried to do myself , they do it better and I manage the work. I am now the goffer and organiser, I am the little frantic legs of the swan that makes it look so graceful above water.

But each of them take part of the stress that I used to carry all by myself.

 

Love the bit about the swan

That really sums up where I'm at most days- maybe not that frantic but definately the gofer