Thinking of ways to organize small business can feel bewildering at times. This is especially true for start-ups learning the ropes about business organization. But even established small companies feel this uncertainty, asking themselves the question “Have I organized my business operations well?”
Fretting about business disorganization is understandable, but you should do something to stop or prevent it from happening!
In this post, we’ll talk about different ways to successfully organize your small business. We’ll also briefly discuss the importance of a well-organized business and what robust management tools you can use to keep your small company running smoothly.
Why Organize Small Business?
So, what’s the impact organization has on your small business? Turns out that entrepreneurs who start off tidying their business operations have higher chances of company growth in the future.
Disorganization can plague any business at any time. However, small businesses are most vulnerable to this. Business operations can easily get caught up amidst a sea of tangles which may include:
- Mess in the physical office
- Disunity within a remote team
- Chaos in planning business strategies
If these things start creeping up in big businesses, chances are they can efficiently combat them (even on-the-spot!) due to their larger resources, huge budgets, and an army of employees.
However, a smaller business may find it hard to cope with this disorganization plague. Start-ups and small businesses have limited resources in almost everything compared to giant companies – manpower, physical space, and budget. Disorganization may lead to stunting the blossoming growth and success of a small company.
Hence, it is crucial to organize small business right from the very start. Tidying up your budding company’s operations will save you from tons of headaches as you traverse the path to success. A well-organized business leads to:
- An overall smooth business operation
- Faster project turnarounds
- Fewer misunderstandings between employees
- Streamlined business strategies
Organized business operations ups your entire team’s productivity, gives your work a boost, and raises revenues. Success is easily achievable if you regularly keep your small business’ operations streamlined.
7 Smart Tips for Organizing and Running Your Small Business Smoothly
Ready to jumpstart your way to more organized business operations? Heed these tips to organize small business and see your enterprise skyrocket to productivity and success:
1. View your enterprise as a real business.
Believe it or not, many small business owners see their activity only as a hobby or a side hustle. Get yourself out of this thinking right away! You should view your enterprise as a real business that:
- Offers genuine services
- Attracts a loyal crowd of customers
- Pulls in enough money for financial independence
- Provides a means for other people to earn income
- Makes a positive impact on your customers’ lives
Once you get out of the side hustle thinking, you’ll begin to see your enterprise in a more serious light.
2. Set your business’ vision, mission, goals, and objectives.
You should have a clear vision of what your business is up to, why you’re engaging in it, and what things you want to achieve through it.
Outline a set of goals and objectives for your business using the SMART framework, that is:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Realistic
- Time-bound
Also, note that there’s a difference between goals and objectives. Goals are desired outcomes achievable in a longer time frame (years), while objectives are specific short-term targets that should be achieved to fulfil a goal.
Don’t forget your vision and mission, too! Small businesses like yours need a clear statement of vision and mission to understand where your business is heading to. Your vision paints a picture of what you want your business to become in the future. Meanwhile, your mission statement should be made up of:
- A definition of what your organisation or business is
- The reason behind your small business’ existence
- Your overall goals as a business entity
- Who your primary customers are
- The products or services your small business produces
- The geographical location you’re operating from
3. Invest in physical and digital assets.
You already realised that your small business is indeed a true business that needs to thrive and grow. Now, start your business strongly by investing in the following:
Office Space
Rent out a dedicated office space that can fit your employees comfortably. Consider your business type, the number of employees, any special equipment, and proximity to your target customers. If your small business is run remotely, a specific business/office place in your home will do.
Business Equipment
The right business tools are a must, whether you run your business from an office space or at home with a remote team. Invest in a sturdy office computer or laptop and phone lines. Also, invest in other business equipment relevant to your trade.
Online Tools for Business Growth
It’s also worth investing in online tools right from the start of your small business venture. These tools can be deployed to your employees to automate certain tasks, monitor their performance, allow them to communicate well, or keep tabs on your general business operations.
Some online tools you can consider purchasing may include:
- Project management applications
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools
- Communication tools
- eCommerce tools and payment gateways
- Email marketing programs
- Content creation tools
- Accounting software
Most businesses have accounting software, communication tools, CRMs, and project management apps in their online tools arsenal. These are all essential to keeping projects and business operations running smoothly. However, pick those tools that are truly relevant to your trade.
These apps don’t have to be pricey as well. For instance, HomeSquad offers robust yet affordable project management solutions that’ll keep your remote small business well-oiled.
4. Register your business and comply with Australian business regulations.
Formalise your business operations by complying with the rules set by Australian laws. You should register and complete requirements for the following (make sure they’re specific for your trade as well):
- Australian Business Number (ABN)
- Tax File Number (TFN)
- Goods and Services Tax (GST)
- Pay As You Go (PAYG) Withholding Tax
- Licenses and Permits
- Australian Privacy Act
- Anti-bullying laws
- Unfair employee dismissal rules
Comply with all these things even if your business is run remotely with work-from-home employees. That’s because you (as the employer) have duties to your remote team similar to those whose employees are working in a standard office environment.
You can use an online tool such as HomeSquad to continue delivering your duty of care to your remote employees. This tool aids you in complying with Australian regulations, helps in onboarding your employees, and takes care of your HR functions and remote work environment.
5. Prioritise your essential tasks.
Part of what makes a business disorganized is because tasks are so cluttered that you can’t recognise which one is essential and which ones are not. Another toxic management thinking is the concept of doing it all. Juggling all the tasks related to running your business all at once isn’t healthy and would burn you and your team out easily.
Hence, you must identify your essential operational tasks and learn to prioritise them over others. You may also delegate some of the operational tasks to your able team members to ease your burden and foster shared responsibility for the team.
Business management tools such as HomeSquad can help you designate the tasks for yourself and your team members. Your small business will move forward faster when you prioritise, designate, and manage your operational tasks through robust online tools.
6. Make decluttering an office habit.
Clutter adversely affects your business organization. That’s because visual clutter leads to mental clutter and disorganization as well. Hence, get into a habit of decluttering your office all the time. Keep your business space or home office as neat as possible by doing the following practices:
- Declutter and streamline your computer desktop or laptop.
- Try to go paperless as much as possible by scanning your documents and storing them digitally.
- If paperless isn’t possible, arrange your filing cabinets and folders accordingly so that they won’t overflow.
- Avoid cable mess by using zip ties or cable trays installed under the desks.
- Tidy up your desks at the day’s start and before leaving your office after work.
7. Evaluate your business’ performance regularly.
Review your business’ performance at regular intervals – say, quarterly – and check if you’re keeping in sync with your goals and objectives. Look at your team’s performance and determine if you need to make any adjustments to your business strategies.
There you have it, 7 smart tips to help successfully organize small business. Utilise a combination of positive thinking, strategic planning, and the right business tools to jumpstart your organized business. You’ll surely be rewarded with success in no time!
