It was 3pm on Dec 31, 2023 and as I was madly running errands in preparation for New Year’s Eve festivities, a long line of cars at the Goodwill caught my attention. Curiosity got the best of me . . . what was going on and what am I missing? I rolled up to the drop off bay to find out more. It turns out that people had started spring cleaning their homes and closets. I was in shock, we hadn’t even rung in the New Year, and people had already taken down their Christmas décor and gathered everything they no longer find joy in.
On Instagram, content creators were giving tips on how to declutter and one challenged the audience to put 2 items every day into a donation box. By the end of the week 14 items would make their way to the Goodwill. If you are a family of 4, this would be a whopping 56 items weekly and 2,808 items annually!
As I tackled my own clutter post New Years, I found my flow and felt a weight lift as I circled back into that Goodwill loading bay, making my own contribution.
This got me thinking . . . does spring cleaning apply only to our homes? Could you apply this principle to businesses as well? Could this seasonal habit help businesses reset?
Spring cleaning your business has many advantages . . . streamline everyday operations, objectively evaluate your marketing, identify tasks that are taking up too much time and it's a chance to review whether you are attracting the right clients.
Here are seven ways you can freshen things up at your company.
Audit Your Website
Websites are an important tool to inform customers of your business. If you have an ecommerce component, they act as your sales team 24/7. In your rush to market, did you hastily put the website together thinking you will return when you have more time? Now is the time to go over to the list of improvements & make changes. Ditch the “cliché” overused words.
Get Your Financial Health in Order
Keep your business and personal expenses separate. Organize your books, review files, accounts, sort your receipts, and digitize what you can. Use accounting software, mileage apps & receipt organizers.
One Pager Business/Strategic Plan
Every business, regardless of complexity, should have a one (1) pager plan. It grounds us on the outcome and declares our focus. Post your plan in PLAIN sight.
Infuse Life in Your Marketing Strategies
Long gone are the days where marketing was seen as fluff and colors. Marketing has proven to be “strategic driver” that differentiates success and failure. DATA! DATA! DATA! If you haven’t reviewed your data from the previous year – now is the time to hunker down. What is the most profitable area of your business? Where are the weaknesses? Are you continuing to invest $$ with limited return?
What can you learn from market leaders and what can you adopt?
Manage your INBOX
Purge your inbox. It can escalate and before you know it – the important emails are buried & you miss opportunities for business and partnerships.
Create folders so you can access the important emails. Create a “tax folder” so that all invoices, payments and other important documents are in one place. Commit to unsubscribe from lists that don’t add value to your business or your mental state!
Fire the High Maintenance Clients
Yes, I said it. When you find yourself spending 3X the time and effort to manage these clients . . . it is costing you money. They no longer contribute to your bottom line. Clients who make unrealistic demands on your time, never respond on time, expect more value adds without payment . . . If you can’t bring yourself to end the relationship, then at least narrow the scope of what you will do for these clients. Let’s be honest, you probably don’t enjoy working for them. Be upfront, be transparent, don’t ghost them,
set your boundaries.
Lastly: Clean Your Office
I specifically decided to leave decluttering your office to the end for two reasons.
When we clean our offices, we give ourselves a “false sense” of control. Yes, for many this helps them focus . . . but for most of us, we ignore the more important things we need to address.
Reality is this . . . if you don’t address the core operational issues, having a clean desk and office will not pay the bills.
Spring is a time for renewal. We declutter to make room for new opportunities, new thinking, and new commitments. It is a strategic imperative. You owe it to yourself to spring clean your business so you have room for new opportunities.
Here’s to a great 2024!
Established in 2023, the lolas' collective is a visionary initiative co-founded by two executive female leaders. Recognizing a significant gap in mentorship, candid dialogue, and outcome frameworks for female-led early-stage entrepreneurs and businesses, they set out to create a platform that prioritizes sustainable business growth, combining expertise from large scale enterprises and entrepreneurial mindsets. At the heart of the lolas' collective is the belief that small businesses are the bedrock of innovation and the driving force of the economy. The mission of the collective is threefold: to demystify complexities, expedite the learning process, and foster a dynamic culture of innovation among these enterprising women.
Kacy Chow BN, MBA is a senior executive leader, having successfully leading teams to high performance. She has established numerous businesses, provided strategic counsel to leadership teams and is the co-founder of the lolas’ collective.
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