“Rover, wanderer, nomad, vagabond – call me what you will.” – Metallica
In our last post we discussed how to manage your business when you’re displaced. That caught us up to the present; Brinen & Associates is still in a temporary work space. We’ve right-sized our office, for now, and it’s forced me to reevaluate things and ask myself a question that all business owners should consider:
Why are you in business?
Take a moment and really meditate on it.
Having an answer is a start, but having a good answer is what matters.
It could be to:
- Make money (almost always a top answer)
- Keep your clients in business
- Be your own boss
- Put your kids through school
- Send your employees on vacations
- Ultimately merge with another company
…or a combination of these, among many others. One answer should also be clear as day in your mission statement. Ours is here and it’s a very client-centric combo.
One way for me to best serve my clients and uphold my mission is to be physically comfortable. I’m not saying I need to be pampered when I walk through the door. I mean that once the caffeine’s in my blood in the morning and my mental cobwebs have been removed, I should be comfortable enough in the environment to remain focused on the work. I can focus surprisingly well in this new, tight space.
The right-sizing isn’t working for everyone. As much as I value my employees’ opinions and will eventually act on them, it’s got to work for me or it won’t work for the business.
The more focused I am, the tougher work I can take on. I’d like to think that it will eventually create a trickle-down effect until permanent digs are found.
How am I using my energy? By tackling the tasks I’d normally assign to a junior employee –like discovery and proofreading. The fundamentals.
I found myself asking “why am I doing this?” and remembering that this is the grunt work that also pays some bills. These tasks are the first step toward the fun stuff we handle – like litigations, corporate formations and dissolutions and contract disputes.
You have to take these steps back as learning experiences. In any business, when you enhance your foundational skills you will be better at whatever you’re doing.
Right now I’m focusing on making sure all my employees are paid – including its owner – and when there’s a little wiggle room, we’ll get ready to pack our bags and hire some movers.
Until then, it’s back to discovery.
Contact us to discuss your business needs or leave a comment and share your story about working in temporary space.