A Business Tail: Veterinarian Foams at Mouth, Chases Tail, Learns New Tricks--Case Study

Many self employed professionals find themselves overwhelmed, frustrated, and confused when it comes to running their businesses. The deep skills they have in their professional field do little to prepare them for the dog-eat-dog world of running a business. The following is a case study from the client files of small business expert, Caroline Jordan, detailing a typical professional's experience trying to run a business without foaming at the mouth.

The Best Doggone Veterinarian in Town

One of my clients, I'll call him John, is everything you could ever wish for in a veterinarian. He's kind, concerned, competent, and willing to call in a specialist for cases he doesn't feel comfortable handling. His office is busy, his staff pleasant, and service is good. But John has a problem. He's exhausted. From the time he started his practice twelve years ago, he's been doing all the accounting, tax preparing, human resources, dealing with insurance companies, banks, labor surveys, building maintenance, and calls from sales people while trying to work full time as a veterinarian. As such, his accounting is a mess, his tax returns haven't been filed for five years, and office policies and procedures allow unproductive employees to continue receiving a paycheck.

The Hair Loss Isn't Mange-It's Stress!

Meanwhile, John is pulling his hair out all day long. He's starting to look like a dog with mange. His staff is continually asking him routine questions, he's taking one unnecessary phone call after another, and chaos hangs like a storm cloud over his head everyday. John hires an accountant to straighten out years' worth of problems with his books but still keeps his hands in the process. He has the accountant take care of his books but still insists on being the one to cut the checks and sometimes he enters credit card charges and sometimes he doesn't. The accountant spends hours each month trying to figure out what John has done and fix his errors. He shies away from having a CPA handle his tax problem because he is determined to fix the problem on his own. Because he's already overwhelmed with his practice, the tax problem doesn't get fixed. Even worse, John drags the problem around with him everyday; feeling the pressure, the stress, knowing that with every tick of the clock the problem is getting worse.

John decides to rent a second office so he can get away from his office to get his taxes done. And still John is exhausted and overwhelmed. His tax problem continues to drag on. The problems in his office still all land on his desk. And he continues to handle them feeling stressed, frustrated, and helpless.

Chasing Your Own Tail?

Are John's problems unusual? Are his actions that of a business owner whose mind has finally become unhinged? Not at all. John is making the mistake that many small business owners make. Instead of focusing on what he does best and improving on those skills that he has a strong aptitude for, John wants to do it all.

If he worked and studied for years, he would at the very best be a poor accountant. He just doesn't have the aptitude for it. He can continue to spend money on subscriptions to newsletters on how to get organized and he can continue to purchase organizing tools, bins, baskets, and totes (most of them still empty) but he will never be organized because he does not have an aptitude for organizing.

A Prescription for Dr. John

So what can we do for poor John? We can't leave him hanging in the storm, tempest tossed and headed for the rocks.

Here are my recommendations:

1. Take all the tax mess, put it in one of the empty organizing totes, drive to the CPA's office, say "Call me if you have any questions." Go fishing.

2. Tell the accountant handling the day to day books that she's in charge of making sure things get done right. Keep your hands out of it. Request the data that you need to run your business-sales numbers and trends, monthly financials, delinquent customer accounts, a regular report of bills that need to be paid, etc. Go sailing.

3. Tell the office manager that she needs to come up with an operations manual of how routine things in the office and clinic need to be done. Give her a deadline and the time to do that by having her assign some of her routine tasks to staff members. Take your wife out to dinner.

4. Hire an outside consultant to clean up the back office clutter-not a friend or family member, someone who is able to deal with the emotions of a clutterbug without backing down or getting discouraged. Learn the new system and follow it. This will involve discipline and teaching an old dog new tricks.

5. Assign a staff member to maintain the new system, someone who isn't afraid to ride herd on you and the paper. Have them train with the consultant so they know how to keep it up.

6. Keep track of all questions you are asked during the day. Create a Frequently Asked Questions list and give it to the office manager for inclusion in the operations manual.

7. Limit the times of day when you can be disturbed-this includes phone calls, questions, email, sales people, etc. Define what constitutes an emergency or a critical situation and instruct your staff (or yourself if you work alone) to use their judgment before disturbing you.

Just these few actions will save John between 20-30 hours EACH WEEK!

Avoiding Separation Anxiety

When a business owner is faced with the concept of saving a chunk of time every week, the first response is "What will I do with all that time?" It's a very uncomfortable feeling. "Does that mean I'm not necessary any more? I won't be as important as I was when I had to do everything." They immediately start trying to fill that vacuum with the tasks that used to fill that time and before you know it they're right back where they started-overwhelmed, confused, and frustrated. But added to that is a sense of failure because they had it in their grasp and lost it.

New Tricks for an Old Dog

So what can John do with his new found time?

1. Use the time to think and plan for the future. Where do you want your business to be in one year and five years? How will you get there? Remember, as a business owner your real job is to steer the ship and chart the course. Swabbing the deck and repairing the nets is a job others can do.

2. Build his reputation by writing articles for professional journals or speaking to associations.

3. Build his business by writing tip sheets or articles for his customers or speaking at local organizations or visiting schools with his favorite dog to teach children the proper care of pets.

4. Spend more time providing veterinarian care to raise his revenues.

5. Work 60 hours instead of 80.

6. Catch up on that stack of professional journals.

7. Attend a seminar on marketing or a new veterinary technique or Spanish dancing.

8. Take that vacation his wife has been bugging him about for years.

9. Spend more time with his kids and grandkids.

10. Go fishing. Or sailing. Or golfing. Or lie in a hammock with a good book. Life doesn't have to be so hard.

11. Drive down the road with his head out the window.

One of the toughest transitions a business owner has to make is moving from being a technician (a deck swabber) to being The Captain, the one who steers the ship and charts the course. And for business owners who operate alone this switch is even more difficult when there doesn't seem to be anyone to delegate to. But by doing those things that you have an aptitude for and hiring out the other tasks, your business moves ahead much more quickly. There are consultants and coaches available to handle every aspect of your business from planning to operations to finances to marketing. Find results oriented people you can trust who complement your strengths and help you move your business forward. The alternative is living with the stress, frustration, and confusion that come from trying to play all the roles in your business.

Caroline Jordan, MBA is an old dog who has learned lots of new tricks to help self employed professionals create successful businesses without losing their minds. She provides advice, training, coaching, and services to help her clients Get Knowledge?Get Focus?and Get Results. If you are a self employed professional who is really serious about wanting to end the stress, frustration, and confusion you feel trying to run your business, visit http://www.thejordanresult.com for more tips, articles, and services designed just for you.

Batchtown Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

A virtual private network can help ensure your information remains security and your privacy remains intact. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Artificial intelligence-based cameras are giving air defense operators unprecedented capabilities in monitoring and protecting airspace.
Apple's iOS 18.1 Inactivity Reboot automatically reboots your iPhone if it hasn't been used or unlocked for more than three days, providing better data protection.
An inventor designed rooftop solar panels for a Tesla that draws solar energy while the car is parked, adding travel mileage without plugging in.
There are currently no laws governing what artificial intelligence can and cannot do with the information it gathers; here are 10 things to avoid telling AI chatbots to keep yourself safe.
A credit union with over 240,000 members recently revealed it was targeted by cybercriminals, resulting in a data breach that was part of a two-month attack by hackers.
Scammers have become skilled at creating convincing fake websites that can easily fool unsuspecting users. The CyberGuy offers tips to protect yourself.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
CAPTCHAs, which are used by websites to confirm whether users are people or bots, are harmless, but hackers are using them to infect PCs with malware.
Hackers recently leaked personal information of about 500,000 Americans and stole patient medical records that included lab results and insurance details.
The holiday season sees a rise in mobile shopping scams. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you learn how to stay safe.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a VPN enhances online banking security by encrypting data and protecting privacy.
Beware of these six sneaky holiday scams. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives you tips to avoid falling victim.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to securely back up and factory reset your Android to protect your privacy and data.
Artificial intelligence is making life easier for cybercriminals, allowing them to create elaborate scams to trick people. Kurt the Cyberguy explains how to protect yourself.
Cut through all the digital clutter and delete multiple emails from your Android simultaneously. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how it's done.
Tips to prevent your holiday decorations from being stolen
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson lays out the immediate steps you should take if your phone has been hacked and your personal information becomes vulnerable.
Fraudsters are sending people bogus invoices through PayPal as part of a sneaky scam that is going around; here's how to protect yourself from being fooled.
A former Colgate-Palmolive employee was shocked to discover $750,000 had been drained from her 401(k) account. "CyberGuy" offers tips on how to prevent identity theft.
Electric vehicle maker Harbinger recently showed its electric delivery truck can handle icy roads with agility and stability in winter.
To make the busiest time of year more manageable, here are some tricks for tracking your packages, taking quality family photos and curating the perfect Christmas playlist.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to keep your online Amazon gift purchases a secret from loved ones or friends this holiday season.

Franchise Company Operations Manual Sample Outline

Many companies wish to expand and a few wish to... Read More

(P)Refer to Grow Your Business

(Although this article is geared towards small business owners, the... Read More

Your Business and the Story of a Tree; Part One

This morning, I went to take a short walk outside.... Read More

Quality Controls for Franchising Companies Sample Outline

Quality control in franchising companies is paramount and all franchising... Read More

Choose Your Own Guru

What is a guru?A guru is a teacher. A mentor.... Read More

5 Good Reasons a Self-Employed Professional Should Take Vacation

So you think you're not justified in taking time away... Read More

How to Get Maximum Results With Minimum Effort

Get maximum results with minimum effort. Sounds great doesn't it?... Read More

Are You a Small Business Casualty?

When a person knows and knows not that he knows.... Read More

Your Ideal Client ? A Key Concept for Solo and Small Business Marketing

"I don't know the key to success, but the key... Read More

Mobile Carwash; Senior Citizens and Mobile Homes

Senior citizens are generally not a large marketing segment for... Read More

The Virtual Assistant

As a small business owner, outsourcing work to Virtual Assistants... Read More

Uncover Free Veins Of Gold By Prospecting Online Guru Newsletters (Part 1 of 2)

Incredible as it sounds, you have a goldmine of free... Read More

S Corporation ? What Is It?

For many small businesses, the "S" corporation is the business... Read More

Time to Sell your Restaurant? Some Advice from Restaurant Consultants, Inc.

As a specialist in getting restaurants open, it is surprising... Read More

Earn More Money in Your Small Business by Creating a PIG

If you really want to earn more money with your... Read More

How to Raise Your Fees and Thrill Your Customers

Think the best way to get more customers is to... Read More

Environmental Pressure Washing in Pennsylvania

If you run a mobile car wash, mobile fleet washing... Read More

Basic Psychology of Franchisee Ownership and Expansion

If you are a franchisee of a large franchise system;... Read More

Using Business Broker In the Franchising Industry for Franchise Sales

Franchising companies often use Business Broker to help attain sales... Read More

Pressure Washing Companies; Pricing Dock and Deck Cleaning

If you own a Pressure Washing Company and wish to... Read More

Five Facts and One Motivating Factor Behind a Successful Home Business

All legitimate home business entrepreneurs insist and announce loud and... Read More

Asphalt Paving: Striping Your Parking Lot

As you may already know, asphalt paved parking lots do... Read More

Keeping Business Alive

Who is responsible for maintaining the business relationship?Nurturing a business... Read More

Find Some Sample Payroll Check Stubs on the Net for Easy Reference

Starting a business? For many people, the bravery to venture... Read More

Boston Suburban areas a good choice to run a business

BioTechs even with the latest news had shed over 1000... Read More

shuttle from Midway Munster are ..