Growing your business means moving out of your comfort zone

By John Corban

Was there a time in your business when you were outside your comfort zone?

Think back to when you decided to start your business. You probably had feelings of anxiety and discomfort as well as excitement. Although you may have been somewhat afraid, what potentially lay ahead (freedom to pursue your passion, generate a greater income, and have autonomy) provided strong reasons to help propel you forward.

During the first 12-24 months you would have been learning new tasks such as selling, quoting, invoicing, admin tasks, recruiting, managing employees etc. It was a time of learning and growth while being outside your comfort zone.

Operating from comfort zone

After some time, all these tasks became familiar. Your employees became settled, income was regular, and being in the comfort zone was welcomed. You still had daily or weekly problems to solve, but they became manageable as your experience grew. Then, after some time, you noticed that things were a little too mundane, such as the same systems, the same clients, the same projects, and you started to feel a desire to improve and grow parts of your business.

What is a comfort zone and what are the advantages?

A comfort zone defines your habits, routines, challenges and business operations that are fundamentally comfortable. These things are familiar. You know what you’re doing, and you know what you can expect. There are plenty of advantages to staying in your comfort zone. There is a sense of security and predictability; you are in control of your schedule, and you feel capable, competent and confident to deal with the daily operations and services you provide.

What are the disadvantages of staying in your in your comfort zone?

It’s easy to stay in your comfort zone, but if you don’t keep up with new trends and innovations, new systems and opportunities as the world keeps growing and developing, you can lose employees that feel bored by the same projects your company attracts. You can easily find that your business may be susceptible to losing revenue, such as when changes in economic conditions occur, like increases in interest rates. You can feel flat and uninspired when you aren’t implementing new ideas into your business.

How to grow your business and move just beyond your comfort zone (but maintain stability)

There might be an opportunity to grow your income stream with one idea, such as running a second project using subcontractors, or installing ponds. You may have been thinking about buying a tipper or employing an experienced team leader, or you may start utilising a new project management system. I think you get the picture. Perhaps you have been considering new opportunities, innovations or improvements over the past twelve months or longer, but you felt the time was not right.

If that’s the case, I would ask you, could that idea or improvement enhance your business? And if so, how could you utilise it while your core business remains stable? The answer is below.

Steps to utilising a new idea, opportunity or purchase

1. Learn as much as you can about the new idea. If it means spending money on equipment, an employee, or a new income stream, add this expense to your financial plan. Your accountant can help, or just do it in Xero.

2. Create a detailed step-by-step plan.

3. Hold yourself accountable to take the step, or tell someone else that this is      what you are going to do and ask them to keep you accountable.

4. Take small steps, but keep moving forward.
Make calculated decisions, and lead with excitement going forward. Each new challenge is an opportunity for growth and learning, and move forward with a growth mindset. You’ll be surprised what a small change can do for your business. So go on, get comfortable moving… just beyond your comfort zone!

John Corban
Business Coach for Landscapers, Horticulturists and Nursery owners
Mob: 0433 27 1980
www.landscaperscoach.com.au