Susan Carswell

This class has changed how I look at my business…and myself. Each class was well designed to build off the last, challenging us to look at our businesses from top to bottom. Vita showed us ways to improve our process flows, manage our projects, integrate our people, monitor our finances and shift our mindset. She has inspired us all to be true CEO’s in our businesses! (Go Yellow!)

Last weeks class was the hardest one for me yet! I was emotional for a very long time after ending the class….with my brain swimming with what it all meant.

Not do my own housework?? I definitely have a very strong resistance to the thought.

BUT, this is the kind of information I was hoping to get from this course…to know what it will take to grow my business…and help in my decision as to whether to grow or not to grow. There is no rule that says I must grow…if maintaining a level of sales that gives me a great income and allows me the freedom to live a life that makes me happy is what I choose, then that’s ok too.

My “why?” from the beginning has been to better understand what taking sales to the next level looks like…and Vita is doing a great job of showing me that…I’m definitely on board to implement better systems and processes to increase productivity. I see this step as a great way to unburden me from a lot of the small stuff that slows me down.

The second part of the class was even harder for me…how I deal with my “people”. Vita’s comment about tailoring the job to the person hit hard…its exactly what I do, which means I end up doing all the “stuff” no one else wants to do. I have two part time WTS’s and a part time bookkeeper…we use several different seamstresses and installers that are all outside contractors….and I tend to want to “help” them all with the hard parts of their jobs! I plan to set up very detailed job descriptions for everyone…and then work towards making sure we are all well suited to the job (which may result in me having to let one of my WTS’s go).

It was also abundantly clear that I need a GM!!!!! I’ve known that for a few years now, but haven’t had a clue where to start. I appreciate Vita’s lessons about creating the job description before beginning the hiring process…and more importantly…about hiring out the hiring out! I’m looking forward to the day when all I have to do is meet with 3-4 applicants and choose one. 🙂

My a-ha moment was everything surrounding your installer!! I was fascinated to think that you could get an independent contractor to fit into your system, and not the other way around. My mind is already dreaming up ways to improve our current process. 🙂