November 6, 2024 - FocusCopy®

What Every Entrepreneur Needs To Be Successful In 2025

Entrepreneurship / By Lauren Jefferson / November 6, 2024 November 6, 2024

2024 is the year we’re coining the Year of Life. So many life events have happened to us, our clients, and our partners. From family deaths, illnesses, hurricanes, burnout, and priority shifts, life doesn’t wait for the perfect moment in your business to slow down.

No ma’am. It continues whether you want it to or not. And while that’s frustrating, it’s taught me a couple of crucial things you must have in place if you desire continuity in your business and life.

6 Things Every Entrepreneur Needs To Be Successful In 2025

While success can be defined in a million different ways, we define it as making progress towards your specific goals. Ideally, success is even reaching those goals. They can be financial, physical, emotional, spiritual, or any other -al variation. The key is it’s a big win for you and your business.

Solid Strategies To Filter Through The Noise & Find Your Focus

When applied, focus truly amplifies your impact. And while it’s probably the most underrated skill, it’s also one of the hardest things to do with all the distractions thrown at us. It takes time to build in focus. But 2 things have really helped me focus on the right things.

First, I’ve created systems in ClickUp – our project management software – that help me focus my energies on one area of the business at a time. For example, if I’m in our Clients space, I am all about each of our clients – focused on delivering the best results, customer service, and communication. But if I’m in our Marketing Schedule space, you better believe I’m throwing all sorts of ideas at the wall to see what sticks. And it wouldn’t be focused if it wasn’t color-coded either. So because of the division of tasks, color association, and knowing what mindset I need to be in, my focus is that much more amplified.

Secondly, I’ve created a place to dump all my amazing (and not-so-amazing) ideas. As entrepreneurs, we are constantly thinking of new ideas, strategies, and ways to accomplish our goals. And while there is a time and place for that…It can stifle our productivity. But what if it’s a million-dollar idea? Write it down in one place so you can pick it back up whenever you’re ready.

A Strong Business Referral Network

It is simply impossible to have your ear in every conversation so that you can identify and talk to every single person who’s interested in what you have to offer. But what you can build is a strong business referral network to help you mimic that. This network is either a formal or informal group of individuals who know what to listen for to make an introduction or pass a referral to you. They are usually interacting with the people you want to connect with – so start building, reviewing, or reshaping your list of contacts.

Lauren, how do you build a strong business referral network?

There are 2 ways we’ve seen this done:

Join a referral networking organization like BNI (Business Network International) or Network In Action to build a formalized network.
Do it yourself and find people who understand your value. The key here is to document and regularly maintain those relationships.

Want to start building your network? Let’s grab a virtual coffee to see if there’s something to explore.

A Curated Collective Of Business Besties

Having a business bestie (or a few) takes your referral network to the next level. Whereas the previously mentioned option is based on referrals, a collective of business besties is based on seeing you succeed.

You could have 1-2 or 5-10 business besties. As long as your business besties are other entrepreneurs who…

Want to find and send referrals to you
Are vulnerable enough to confess their business challenges
Are confident to cheer you on when you feel weak
Will help you strategically overcome challenges in your business

The only rule? There should be an equal balance of giving and receiving, expressing challenges and celebrating wins, and support for one another.

You cannot force this type of relationship. But as soon as you find it, you’ll know it and grab tight onto those people.

Documentation For ALL Your Processes

Ever dream of…?

Selling your business
Getting acquired
Adding an investor to your team
Growing your team beyond yourself
Leaving a legacy you’re proud of

Well…you need documentation. Consider every single thing that needs to happen inside your business to make it operate. Then start by tackling each “department” and get it written down. The best way that we’ve found to do this is…

See one. Host a team training to teach them how to do a single process.
Do one. Have your team do the process with you so that you can adjust or correct their steps.
Teach one. Once they are proficient, have them teach that same process to other team members.

P.S. Copy Systems is your way to document, implement, and experiment with all your copy- and marketing-related tasks for your business. Explore a membership here.

A Better Recipe To Write High-Converting Copy

No matter where you stand on copywriting (you love it, hate it, loathe it, AI it, outsource it, do it yourself, etc.), you need good copy to connect, engage, and convert prospects into clients. But there are a lot of barriers to creating effective copy…

…Starting with you. You may not like it or even have the time to do it. So you have 3 options:

Do it yourself and (probably) hate yourself for it every single step
Use AI and settle for subpar, inauthentic, and robotic-sounding copy
Outsource it to a copywriter (hopefully not to a freelancer who is not fluent in your specific language)

While there are obvious issues with options 1 and 2, let’s dive into option 3. Even if you hire an outsourced copywriter, you still need to communicate your brand, messaging, voice, target customer, and marketing objectives.

What happens when you don’t have any of that? The copywriter will fail to achieve your goals…every single time. Then, you’re stuck with editing until it’s perfect (another pain point for most entrepreneurs) or rewriting it yourself anyway. Yeesh!

That’s why we’ve developed Copy Systems to help you build out the core tenants required for effective copywriting – whether you write it yourself or outsource it. Explore your membership here.

More Time To Pour Into Your Business

You may be laughing at this point, but hear me out…When you have more time, you have:

More space to think and dream
Increased capacity to actually get everything you need to get done
Freedom to spend your time as you please (whether that’s with family, traveling, or at a coffee shop alone)

And who doesn’t want that?!

Here is how to build more time into your schedule.

Create a theme for the year and break that up by each quarter.
Assign one SMART goal that fulfills your theme.
Choose no more than 3 sub-goals that fulfill that 1 big goal.
And do nothing else besides that.

Sure you’ll think of plenty of ideas. Create a place for you to dump those brilliant ideas for you to pick up when you’re ready to focus on other areas of your business. But the idea here is when you are laser-focused, you create more time because you aren’t chasing the shiny objects or squirrels. Your distraction and tenacity to dream may be the one thing limiting your schedule.

For Q4 2024, here is how we structured our time:

Theme: Building better rhythms
Primary Goal: Build a more sustainable business (starting with the financial side of the business)
Sub-Goals:
1. Launch our brand new Copy Systems membership program.
2. Continue to be profitable.
3. Grow our recurring revenue.

Filling each of these out for yourself does not need to be complicated. In fact, the simpler you make it, the easier it’ll be to follow.

Implement Better Systems To Set Your 2025 Up For Success

…Starting with your copy.

We’ve developed Copy Systems to be an easy-to-implement membership that dives into specific topics that will make your marketing and messaging so much more effective. And when you have the right words, you connect with the right clients and convince them that you’re worth investing in.

We believe that people want to work with other people and, ultimately, businesses they know and trust. This is another reason why we’re giving you the same tools we use to define your brand, target your audience, and write marketing materials that speak to the core of your successes.

Start towards your path to success today with Copy Systems!

When Your Company Does Have SOPs (Get Your Free SOP Framework)

Systems / By Lauren Jefferson / November 6, 2024 November 6, 2024

Implementing a free SOP framework into your business gives you the tools to improve your entire operation. In case you missed it, one of the very first blogs we ever wrote was What Happens When Your Company Doesn’t Have SOPs. Surprisingly, it has remained one of our most popular blogs ever.

Why?

Well, we have our suspicions, but we believe it’s because entrepreneurs don’t want to be managed. And System Operating Procedures (SOPs) simply manage us. It feels like the antithesis of why we left working for someone.

But in reality, SOPs create consistent and continuous results…For your business, your clients, and your professional network. Implementing well-documented SOPs in your business model has potential benefits to…

Boost business productivity by up to 25%
Reduce errors by as much as 60%
Reduce employee training time by 40%

…To name a few.

Ready to transform your marketing to be more efficient, productive, and effective? It starts with building our Scalable Marketing SOPs. Download our free SOP framework to get started.

How SOPs Transform Business Operations To Enhance Customer Experiences & Support A Collaborative Culture

Explore what happens to your company when you implement SOPs into your marketing (and more importantly, into your business).

1. Companies Perk Up & Become Efficient

Systems make businesses more efficient (duh, Lauren). And your team members in management, HR, and accounting know this. However, it isn’t enough to simply produce SOPs. You must also ensure that you implement and use them. Especially for emerging entrepreneurs, small businesses with SOPs are 75% more likely to survive their first 5 years.

This is a staggering statistic, but survival isn’t the only benefit of implementing SOPs. Making your business more efficient with SOPs also has the potential to improve your…

Process automation
Communication
Data management
Scalability
Customer experience

Most importantly, SOPs give you a tool to use whether you need training materials or a comprehensive process refresher.

Looking for a free SOP framework? Access our Scalable Marketing SOP Framework.

2. Your Processes Improve With Every Customer Engagement

When you know what you’re doing, it’s easier to improve your processes. One thing we changed two years ago came from some client feedback. He asked us to wrap a “red bow” on the project, wanting to meet. Never before had we thought of having a Close-Out Meeting for a project. But it made sense!

Immediately after that meeting with our client, we revised our SOPs and implemented Close-Out Meetings into our overall process. It was just the type of detailed feedback that we needed to improve our systems right away.

The results? We’re able to gather feedback from our clients and immediately apply it. Our processes are 100 times better than when we first created them. And our end product is also better for it – benefiting both the client and our team.

This proactive approach not only enhances our workflow but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement. By regularly integrating client insights and refining our methods, we create a feedback loop that drives innovation. Each project becomes an opportunity to learn and adapt, ensuring that we’re not just meeting but exceeding expectations. This commitment to improvement strengthens our relationships with clients and positions us as a leader in our industry.

3. You’re Not Being Held Hostage By Employees

As a business owner, it’s easy to feel like you’re at the mercy of your team. But let’s flip that narrative: you’re not being held hostage by your employees. Instead, think of your workforce as a dynamic group of partners who can help propel your vision forward.

When you build a team grounded in trust and authentic connections, everything changes. Say goodbye to the “sacred cows” or those seemingly untouchable employees who seem to hold invaluable company information that they keep close to their chests. Instead, you foster an environment where every voice matters and every idea counts.

This mindset encourages open communication and transparency. You can tackle challenges head-on without fear of resistance. Working with people you genuinely vibe with transforms the workplace into a collaborative space where creativity thrives.

Embracing this approach not only eases the weight on your shoulders as a leader but also enhances job satisfaction for everyone involved. When you cultivate a culture of collaboration, your team evolves from a collection of employees into a community united by shared goals.

4. Your Company Operates As A Team

In today’s fast-paced business world, collaboration isn’t just a buzzword – it’s essential. When your company operates as one unit, you unlock the potential for creativity, efficiency, and a positive work environment. So, how do you nurture team spirit among your employees?

Take the time to understand what drives each team member, their strengths, and their preferred collaboration styles. Listening and learning more about your team members’ preferred workstyles gives you untapped tools to create a culture where everyone feels empowered to share ideas and take bold steps.

Teamwork goes beyond occasional team-building activities. It’s woven into the fabric of your daily operations through:

Regular check-ins
Brainstorming sessions
Internal communications

When employees know their input is valued, they become more engaged and invested in their work and its quality. Celebrating team achievements is equally vital. Whether it’s a small win or a major milestone, recognizing collective efforts reinforces the message that everyone plays a crucial role in the company’s success.

Use a free SOP framework to ensure your company is set up for a collaborative experience from your team member’s first day on the job to every major milestone afterward.

5. Operations Continue Regardless Of Who Is Working

I’ve had copywriters take over a week of vacation. I’ve personally taken a week-long vacation as CEO. And I was even able to take a maternity leave for 8 weeks in 2023. And guess what? Our operations continued seamlessly with little to no hiccups because we had documented and anticipated just about every scenario – including weather-related emergencies.

This level of preparedness creates immense freedom – not just for me as the business owner but for the entire team. Employees don’t feel the pressure of being irreplaceable or that they can’t take a well-deserved break. That’s a lot of pressure to put on their shoulders! Instead, they know that the systems and processes we’ve put in place will keep things running smoothly, no matter who’s in the office.

When your operations are well-documented and your team is trained to handle various situations, it fosters a culture of trust and empowerment. Team members can step away, recharge, and return with fresh perspectives, knowing that their responsibilities are covered. This not only boosts morale but also enhances productivity, as employees are less likely to experience burnout.

Moreover, this approach encourages a sense of ownership among team members. They understand that they play a vital role in the company’s success, even when they’re not physically present. This mindset cultivates a proactive attitude, where everyone is more engaged and invested in the overall mission.

Effective SOPs Start With A Solid, Free SOP Framework

When you work with us, you aren’t getting the same deliverables we wrote 4 years ago. We’re constantly evolving, improving, and creating to make a better product for you. If you want a future-focused strategic partner, we’re ready to link arms with you – entrepreneur to entrepreneur.

Searching for your free SOP framework? Access our Scalable Marketing SOP Framework to start the documentation process with ease and structure.

Day: November 6, 2024