Taking a family holiday feel like a pipe dream? When you’re in the trenches as a trade business owner, taking a break is not all it’s cracked up to be. Your phone still rings off the hook. The constant distraction drives your partner crazy. Everyone’s walking on eggshells.
It’s a classic scenario for tradies. Ultimately, it’ll take a toll on your physical and mental health, relationships, and your ability to make the best business decisions. Being frazzled is not doing anyone any favours. Every, single one of us needs to recuperate and recharge (yes, you too!), otherwise we can’t show up and be the leaders we can be.
Systemising your trade business is the only way you can step away and have a family holiday – a real family holiday, where you’re absolutely present. Systemisation is the process of turning all of that important knowledge in your head, into an instruction manual for your business.
There are 4 basic steps to systemise your business, which will give you the freedom to plan family holidays. (As an aside, we’re taking a four-week family holiday this October, leaving our businesses in the capable hands of our employees to manage and run while we’re away.)
You can work towards this, too. There are other major benefits to implementing systems, if you’re willing to put in the hard work. When you’re ready to go through this one-off process, you’ll get paid forever.
What is a system?
A system is the written documentation for an entire process or procedure – from start to finish. The system you implement for a particular process is pre-planned. Each step follows a logical order. Most importantly, it’s repeatable. It’s represented visually as a flowchart.
For example, this is what our employee onboarding flowchart looks like:
Family holidays (and other reasons) to systemise
If freeing yourself up for family holidays is not motivation enough to systemise your trade business, here are five other reasons to make it a priority. Are you ready to pack up your tools and fast-track freedom?
1. Make more profit
Systems clarify the most efficient way of completing tasks. When you remove costly errors, you’ll decrease expenses, save time – and therefore, make more profit. It’s about working smarter, not harder.
2. Scalability
Systems allow you to employ more people. It’s far easier to train and hire new employees and get the team on board with the way you like things done. More people means extra work – and more turnover/profit.
3. Prepare to sell up
When/if you’re ready to sell, your business will be more attractive to potential buyers because all the key information is documented not sheltered inside your head. Your business can then operate by itself.
4. Consistency and control
With systems in place, you’ll have more control and less chaos. Systems will give you greater productivity, efficiency, and results. Why? Because the way you run your business is more predictable.
5. Best business practice
Each system documented in your business can be combined to form your Best Business Practice – a set of guidelines and ethics that represent the most efficient course of action for a business.
Now we’re on the downhill run towards the end of the year, what changes are you willing to make a family holiday happen?
What’s next?
- Join our Kick-Ass Tradies Facebook Group, for access to trade business specific conversations, tips and resources, plus a like-minded community of tradies.
- Book a 15-minute Game Plan Call with Andy, owner of Dr. DRiP plumbing and co-founder of Lifestyle Tradie, to clarify your priorities and get clear action steps.
