 Image credit: Andrea Piacquadio: from Pexels If you’re a business leader, it can be easy to try and do everything yourself. You want to be in control, you want to know everything that’s going on, and you want to have the opportunity to double check everything before it goes live. And when you’re a new business leader, trying to run all of these areas can wear you down and turn you off of business for life! It’s why most business leaders need to learn to let go, and that’s what this post is here to help with.
Allow your employees to take initiative Your employees deserve a chance to shine, don’t you think? So why not take a step back and allow them to take some initiative and solve a problem or two without your input? Let their natural skills and talents win through; it’s one of the best ways to spot the knowledge gaps in your company, as well as see who’s deserving of a promotion and all its benefits. Focus on your work/ life balance Once you’ve got a bit of free time on your side, you can start to focus on what you need to do outside of work. You can approach that work/life balance in a healthier way; that’s crucial to living a long and happy life, and no longer will you need to dedicate so much of yourself to your business. You’ve built it to a place where it can function without you, which is always a good sign for longevity, and you should try to embrace that for the future. Find use in outsourcing Outsourcing your tasks to companies and professional freelancers who know what they’re doing is a great way to conquer your seeming inability to delegate things out. You get a little taste of just how much good work can come your way even when you’re not in control, and you get some free time to focus your attention elsewhere. All in all it’s a pretty good cocktail! So call in some commercial cleaning services, sign a contract with an accountant to see to the books once a month, and regularly comb through portfolios to find the next great talent to work for you. Become a mentor If you’ve got good experience in running a business, why not turn your hand to becoming a mentor? You’ve got all the right employees in the right places, you know how to spot a good outsourcing contact, and you understand what it takes to build a company, right down to the tiny details. And that’s invaluable information that other would-be business leaders would love to have. You can make your own course, write a book, or even become a consultant for hire - it's a great way to take your name and brand to the next profitable level! Letting go is necessary as a business leader; you’ve got a lot on your plate, and you can’t juggle it all. It’s a strength to be able to delegate!
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 Image credit: Anna Shvets from Pexels As a business owner, you have to balance everything. You are the CEO, CFO, COO, and so much more. So it can be challenging to find time for yourself when you need it most. But there are things that you can do to make your life easier and help you in your business at the same time.
Invest in Becoming a Coach Investing in yourself is the best investment that you can make. Becoming a coach will help you get clarity on the things that matter most and allow you to work with more people. It will also open doors to new possibilities. It is essential for you as a business owner to take the time and invest in coaching courses so that you can continue growing your business. Becoming a coach or taking other classes are some of the things that you should do to help grow your audience, but it requires an investment on your part. Chip in Your Finances When Things Are Tight If you have personal savings, this is one of the best things you can do to help your business grow. Unfortunately, a lot of entrepreneurs tend to put their finances aside and invest in their companies instead. While it's good to be willing to make sacrifices for the sake of growing your company, putting too much on hold will most likely be your downfall in the end. You can never expect to grow a business if you aren't willing to invest anything in it yourself, so don't hesitate on this one. Commit Extra Hours To Complete Tasks If you struggle to manage your time, treat this as a priority. Work on it at the beginning of each day or right after lunch. You can also commit extra hours to complete tasks before leaving work for the day. This will ensure that there isn't any overflow which means that everything is completed quickly. It will also help you avoid any distractions during the day, which might cause you to skip something important. Interact With Your Customers Customers are the backbone of your business. They are the ones who make it possible for you to continue to run and grow your company, so why not take advantage? You don't always have to ask customers what they want because if you're doing things right, their needs should be reflected in your product or service. Have a Relationship With Employees There is no such thing as "just an employee" when you consider the importance of their role. An engaged and happy workforce will make your company a more positive place to work. It's not just about having friends at work, though, and employees should feel valued for what they do and be rewarded accordingly for excellent performance. Most successful companies understand the value of investing in their employees with training and development. A happy workforce will be more productive and have a happier disposition at work, which has been shown to reduce staff turnover rates significantly. Conclusion You now know what you can do to improve your business. It is not easy, but it does get easier with time. You can improve your business and create a better future for yourself and others around you with these five things. Of course, this will not happen overnight; it takes hard work and dedication to be where you want in life.  Image credit: Tumisu on Pixabay A business launch takes a huge amount of time, effort, and planning, so for most entrepreneurs, plans usually stretch months if not years into the future. Such measures are entirely sensible; taking the time to ensure everything is in place prior to launch and that the business will be starting off on a strong footing is absolutely advantageous. However, for those planning to launch a business in the latter half of 2020, the landscape onto which they planned to launch has now suddenly changed beyond almost all recognition.
The impact of coronavirus Much has been said about the impact of coronavirus on businesses, even with many country’s governments doing all they can to shore up support for companies. What’s more, the problems look to be far from temporary, given the scale of the recession that most financial experts seem to predict. The vast majority of the focus, however, has been dedicated to established businesses; very little has been said about the fledgling businesses that were still in the planning phase at the time of the coronavirus outbreak. Unfortunately, businesses in the early phase of life face the same challenges as established companies - and more still, given they do not have name recognition or an established customer base to lean on. So is cancelling a launch the only option? Many prospective business owners may assess the ongoing situation and assume that there is little point in opening their business under the current circumstances, and shelve their plans with the intent to wait for better times. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. While businesses connected to the most affected sectors - such as travel and hospitality - could potentially benefit from a delay, other businesses remain viable even in difficult times. In fact, some aspects of launching a business are easier during difficult economic times: borrowing, for example, is cheaper than it will ever be, high fluidity of employment can mean businesses can attract great candidates to roles, and commercial rents can be cheaper if there’s a sudden surplus of properties as a result of a recession. As a result, unless a business idea is in one of the industries that have been particularly impacted, moving forward with a business could still be worthwhile. Quick tips for getting it right If you decide your business is still viable for its launch this year, here are a few tips that can help everything goes smoothly:
Launching in 2020 is certainly still possible for many businesses, and the tips above can help to ensure the venture is as successful as possible.  Image credit: Alexas Fotos on Pexels.com Every business goes through changes, and every single business plan that’s ever been drawn up has undergone revisions. Indeed, in the working world, change is a great thing, and can ensure a company goes from strength to strength as its lifecycle goes on. So, if some things need to be changed within your business, it’s time to take a step back and think about them. Some changes for the benefit of the long term could be made here, and you could really make a difference to your company. Here’s some ideas to start thinking about. Think About Your Company Culture
Company culture makes or breaks a business. You and your employees need to be able to trust one another, and transparency will always be key. Most of all, company culture is something that needs to stay positive and free flowing; even just one toxic person within the company can mean the entity of your workforce is feeling the negative effects. You also need to think about the goals you set as a company - what are you working towards? Can you see the effects of your results? And could some more attainable, real world goals be set to ensure your workforce are feeling moralised? Consider Proper Communication Tools Communication is essential in a business environment, and even just a single mixed or dropped message can mean the whole work day goes to waste. Of course, you have private messaging, and software like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, but are they doing enough for you? And are they secure enough to make use of in the long term? You could think about setting up your own intranet for use within your company; something only you and your employees have access to, and can only be used for work purposes. It could be a great way to keep people on task, and it’s one of the most flexible forms of accessing a digital workplace, as well as safely and securely share messages with one another. It Might Be Time to Look into Fleet Options Of course, your company is getting bigger and bigger, and because of that, it might be time to think about time constraints. One of the main problems you’ll be dealing with is commuting - people needing to get to and fro from the workplace, in a timely and representative manner. Not to mention the amount of delivery you’ll have to cope with on your own too; you’ll need a vehicle or two that’s capable of ferrying a large amount of items wherever they need to be. It’s why plenty of Van Offers are circulating right now; usually you can get a discount on a model if you’re buying on a business expense basis, and this could very well be the start of your own company fleet. Planning business changes can occur in both the intangible and tangible sense; if you need a better working environment, or a way to get to work, you can make that change.  Image credit: NordWood Themes on Unsplash Being cooped up at home means a lot more sitting and scoffing! The Mirror has a guide of how you can stay healthy during the lockdown!
 With a third of the global population living under lockdown, many are turning to science for the answers on how to be happy in these difficult times. By the evening of 26 March, 1.3 million people were enrolled in a Yale University online course entitled: The Science of Well Being. BBC News has the story...
 You may find yourself regularly working from home over the coming weeks as employers attempt to limit staff exposure to the coronavirus outbreak. Sky News has the tips!
 What do you look for to have a happy work life? The Mirror has the results of a recent survey!
As you probably spend most of your life at work, it’s essential that you’re happy there. From feeling valued to having good relationships with coworkers, everyone has one top feature that makes them feel satisfied at work. Check out the below for a happy work life. Good Work-Life Balance If you’re in a job where you can work your hours and then go home, you’re bound to be happier as you’ll have more time for your family, friends, and hobbies. A Company That Promotes Health Companies that protect your health and order supplies like PPE equipment from PPE Supplies Direct clearly care about you. Feeling safe at work will make your work life happier. Having Progression Opportunities Being able to progress at work will make you happier as you have something to work towards. It also gives you a purpose in the office and will make your day more fulfilling. Working With Decent Coworkers You can have the dullest job in the world, but if you’ve got decent coworkers, it all seems a whole lot brighter. Having good working relationships will make your day much better.  Employees never have to apologise for having a life, believe it or not! LinkedIn has a story that all bosses should take note of!
 Being more productive could be the real answer to a better work-life balance and give you more 'you' time! Fast Company has the details!
 Isn't life just hectic? Non-stop from the minute you climb out of your pit until you collapse into bed? BBC Worklife have a feature about 'how to reduce 'attention residue' in your life!
 You work hard don't you? What happens when you get to Friday or if you are one of those weekend warriors, your frame of mind isn't quite on it! Employees shouldn't have to apologise for having a life and if you're from the retail or service industry, this is huge! A feature on LinkedIN will tell you more!
 There is so much job search advice out there, literally everywhere! But sometimes you can miss the very basics! The Muse has some very basic tips to try out whilst on the hunt for that new gig!
You can also get 'The Ultimate List of Job Search Strategies To Land you Next Job' from Fancy Resumes' to give you that cutting edge plan to the next big gig of yours!  Fast Company have a list of 7 books that could help you become a leader in 2020. Click here to start building your library!
 A study by recruiter, Robert Half, said that the average worker has been planning to ask for a pay rise for the last four months. As its the new year, its most likely the requests will start to come on. The Mirror has the lowdown on how to bag that pay rise!
 Entrepreneurs are everywhere now, creating a bedroom business into a multi-million pound global giant can happen! The Mirror has a list of 8 ideas for businesses this year!
 Your CV on average can take just 34 seconds to be rejected! The Sun has some of the do's and don'ts for your CV check!
 Google spent years studying what makes an effective boss and now they teach new managers the six things they found! Inc.com has the lowdown on what Google think a new manager should know!
 New Years resolutions, so many out there being made that will no doubt be broken once you get back into your routine! The Muse has 15 work habits you should look to ditch this year!
  So Christmas is now done and over for another year and chances are that you've now got yourself back into work, but with the working environment continually changing, itself it time you had a look at how you can stay in the competitive market? LinkedIN has some ideas of how to go about creating the 'new you!'
 When you apply for a job, you actually have two CV's out there. You may well submit one CV but its also your social media that acts as the second one so knowing exactly what's on it really helps especially as recruiters will find it too! The Muse has 8 easy ways to have a clean up!
 Photo credit: Life A Journey Hiring managers are now saying that emotional intelligence is valued more than IQ. Fast Company have a quick read to why emotional intelligence is one of the fastest growing job skills.
 If you've retired and looking for something on the side, your own little side hustle then it might be worth checking out the book, '100 Side Hustles: Unexpected Ideas for Making Extra Money Without Quitting Your Day Job by Chris Guillebeau. Forbes has more on the great read!
 Photo credit: apost.com "When leaders forget about the human element, they're holding back their companies and limiting the success of others." Sheldon Yellen, CEO of property-restoration company Belfor Holdings, hand-writes 9,200 birthday cards a year! You can read more in Business Insider!
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