Most entrepreneurs and business owners stay in startup mode way too long. This is mostly due to a lack of deliberate actions to scale up.
Constantly telling people you’re “just a startup,” may keep you from taking actions for real growth.
In order to move from startup to grown-up mode, you need to consciously move from planning to doing.
In a few years, you want to look back at your early phase as an integral part of your business history and remember when you were sitting on my floor packing boxes by yourself to now having over 100 employees; this is the mindset to adopt in other to scale up and here are five ways to do it:
Delegate
In the early days of your startup, you will be responsible for handling almost everything. With time, you’ll need to start investing in people and delegating tasks you can no longer handle in order for you to become a going concern.
Research has it that three-quarters of all small businesses have no employees which highlights the resistance people have to delegate.
You have to grow your business and you need people to do that. It is a complete misnomer to assume people cost money when the lack of production and inability to grow your business costs a lot more.
Also read, 7 Ways to assemble a Great Startup Team
Pick your battles
Don’t get caught up deciding on a logo when it really doesn’t matter. Your brand and logo are bound to change as your business evolves, so it is important that you focus your energy on more important things.
Obsess over more pressing issues like — growing customers and making money. Don’t swat mosquitoes when you’re hunting big game.
Get attention
One of the major problems every startup faces is becoming known. Your most important task is getting attention for you and your company. It’s the gateway and access to every dollar you’ll raise.
Muhammed Ali infuriated people and got attention when he said he was the greatest long before anyone knew him.
He went ahead to prove himself, which turned criticism into global admiration. Get attention and critics then get admiration.
Also read, 3 Essential Points for an Excellent Accelerator Pitch
Change your pitch
Rather than saying “I own a small web design company,” say “I own a unique web design company that guarantees increased sales to your company.” Notice the difference?
The first portrays you as small and insignificant with no claim. The second on other hand, says you’re unique, confident and capable of bringing in money.
Learn how to pitch yourself and your business and always be ready to quickly explain what your company does better and what value it is providing the marketplace. Then, lay big claims to the world.
Create a sense of urgency
Starting a business without setting specific timelines for action is a recipe for stagnation. You will remain stuck and the only thing you’ll have is a bag of excuses.
One of the biggest mistakes to make in business is not operating with enough urgency. The entrepreneurial journey is a marathon with lots of sprints.
You have to win a lot of small races to provide your team with the right momentum. When you get a job with a client and you assign different tasks within the job to your team, you need to apply a bit of pressure and create a sense of urgency to get a progress update.
It keeps teammates in check and in most cases, guarantees a job well done.
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