On your business or in your business

On It OR In It?

Confession.

Even though I’ve been told by so many people…

“Mike, you gotta read this book!”

“Which book?”

“The E-Myth.”

I have never read it.

And I read a ton.

Reading gives me ideas and perspective. Keeps my mind fresh.

I live by the saying… “Leaders are Readers.”

But… yea… I have never read that book.

Here’s the basic premise… Or so I’ve been told.

“You have to work ON your Business, not just IN your Business.”

And that means – you eventually develop systems and concepts (and people) that do the work for you. This helps you grow.

You have to spend a certain percentage of time doing things that are not necessarily “job” functions in order to create a REAL business. One that operates without you if need be.

These activates are considered the “on the business” items.

I say be careful drinking the cool-aid of having to “work on the business” too much.

The fact is…. All of us professionals get paid to do what we are good at. And that thing which we are good at happens to be “in” the business.

It’s OK. Just find the balance.

Stay busy. Just dedicate a portion of your week to ideas, concepts, marketing and the like which fit into the “ON” the business side of things.

Developing better online marketing strategies is an example of working “on the business.” Because once these strategies are in place – they can work for you.

Developing staff and training employees can be an “ON” the business activity.

Writing an operations manual (sounds daunting, right?) is an “ON” the biz thing.

You get the point.  Find the balance. Don’t be over-whelmed or stressed about finding the balance. It’s too important to your future.