How do you know when it’s time to scale your business?
I’ve been asked this question no less than 200 times.
One of my own scale moments happened after 100+ 1:1 calls with people wanting to talk to me to learn more about The Upside.
I slowly realized I was answering the same questions over and over again and I knew there had to be a more efficient and effective way.
So, I designed an Open House event where anyone interested in talking to me about joining the community can come and ask me their questions, meet other members and get a behind-the-scenes tour of the community.
The result?
Instead of having upwards of twenty 30-minute calls each month…
I now have one 90-minute call 4x per year.
And, it’s so much more valuable for those curious about The Upside to be able to gather with others, get a feel for the vibe and hear from more than just me on why this community is so special and different from what else is out there. (Want to see what it’s all about? RSVP here!)
Although scaling takes many different forms, as an independent consultant, it universally means some version of more output that requires less of your time.
However, most consultants are running on a hamster wheel of discovery calls, operations and delivering work. They are in the weeds of the business every single day with no clear pathway out.
Even in times when they’re not busy, they find things to be busy with.
So, my first answer to this question is:
If you can’t make time during the week to work ON the business in addition to IN the business, then that’s not going to change without you intentionally stepping back and actively making that change.
That’s right.
You’re probably not going to magically find time next week or next month. Instead, you’ll likely just end up filling it with more busy work or client work or something else that doesn’t lead to thinking strategically about scaling your business.
There’s a lot of guilt around making time to think strategically. Many independent consultants feel like they’re not being productive if they aren’t doing “work.”
But I promise you this:
If you aren’t ready to make time each week to think strategically about scaling your business, then you aren’t ready to scale.
So how do other people do it?
Some join a coaching program that forces them to make that time.
Some block off time on their calendar each week and stick with it.
Some find an accountability buddy who will be along for the ride with them.
Some make time for communities like The Upside that hold them accountable and drive them forward.
But all of them have this in common:
They are intentional about scaling their business, not passive.
If you’ve been thinking about scaling your business, I hope this is the sign you need to take that first action step: making time each week to work on your business.
No guilt.
Only upside.
You’ve got this!
