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9 Ideas to Help Entrepreneurs Get Organized — Now!

Posted by Early Growth

April 9, 2013 | 4-minute read (622 words)

Originally posted on LifeHack.

Ask The Entrepreneurs is a regular series where members of those involved in the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) are asked a single question that aims to help Lifehack readers level up their own lives, whether in an area of management, communication, business or just life in general.

Here’s the question posed in this edition of Ask The Entrepreneurs:

What’s one thing you’re doing now to get your business organized for the year ahead?

1. Calendar Blocking

As often as possible, I’m adding regular business tasks to my weekly calendar on repeat. It has helped to “hold the space” for client work, marketing, networking, family and fun. I take into account the 2013 personal and business goals as I create time to work closer to those outcomes. - Kelly Azevedo, She’s Got Systems

2. Budgeting for the Year

To prepare for the year ahead, I’m creating a financial plan and budget for 2013. This is an essential activity (that you should have started in 2012) to help you to get organized for the year ahead. Use your financial plan as an opportunity to hone in on your key goals for 2013 and to establish milestones to guide you throughout the year. Plan to update your budget as the year progresses. - David Ehrenberg, Early Growth Financial Services

3. Filing

Believe it or not, I haven’t had a filing cabinet so much as a filing “box” where everything I wanted to file away was placed in, without any rhyme or reason. My plan is to fix that. - Derek Flanzraich, Greatist

4. Have Some Perspective

Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the weeds and forget about how far you can come in a year. We’re summarizing accomplishments made in 2012 to share with our company, and motivate the team to continue to do bigger and better things in 2013. - Robert J. Moore, RJMetrics

5. Cut the “Fluff”

If it’s not something that is adding to my life in a positive manner, it needs to go. My goal is to surround myself with things that I’m passionate about, that I can learn from, and that will help me focus instead of distract me. It’s like spring cleaning your closet! - Benish Shah, Vicaire Ny

6. Get Personal!

Hiring a personal assistant. At first I felt like hiring a personal assistant was ridiculous, but the busier I get the less organized I am. - John Hall, Digital Talent Agents

7. Review Life Plan

Every quarter I review my life plan and business objectives and goals. I try to go somewhere for a whole weekend to do this every three months. - Peter Nguyen, Literati Institute

8. Heighten Web Security

I went through a few terrible hacks recently. Even though we were prepared with backups and recovery best practices, cyber attacks are always damaging to an online business. I have spent much personal time and resources building out our security infrastructure in order to ensure that similar attacks never occur again in the future. - Logan Lenz, Endagon

9. Listening, Better and More Often

For me, listening to my employees is the solution to many problems. They always have great ideas for how we can make the business, and our time in the office, more efficient and productive. We spent the month of December wrapping up year-end projects, as well as putting a great plan in place for 2013. Always take time for an in-depth review with key employees at the end of the year! - Mitch Gordon, Go Overseas

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Ideation

9 Ideas to Help Entrepreneurs Get Organized — Now!

1. Calendar Blocking

2. Budgeting for the Year

3. Filing

4. Have Some Perspective

5. Cut the “Fluff”

6. Get Personal!

7. Review Life Plan

8. Heighten Web Security

9. Listening, Better and More Often

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