The Mind Your Time Podcast | Empowering Six-Figure Entrepreneurs to Streamline, Scale, and Live Their Legacy
In the weekly episodes of the Mind Your Time Podcast, Shannon shares practical insights and strategies for six figure entrepreneurs ready to clean up the back end of their business and create streamlined systems. By doing so, you can take control of your time and take your business (and life) into what’s next because what got you here, won't get you there.
Shannon Baker is a business strategist and speaker. She uses over 20 years of experience managing small businesses and supporting C-Suite executives to help entrepreneurs build their business infrastructure.
Her ultimate mission? To support your journey from feeling overwhelmed and exhausted to becoming a confident entrepreneur who scales a business that supports them!
Get prepared to use your time and energy on what truly matters to you!
The Mind Your Time Podcast | Empowering Six-Figure Entrepreneurs to Streamline, Scale, and Live Their Legacy
Back Office Hacks You Need to Finish the Year Strong
Is your back office chaos holding your business back and keeping you from hitting your goals?
This episode is a follow-up to our Annual Business Checkup series, where we uncovered what’s really been causing inefficiencies and frustration behind the scenes of your business. But gathering those insights was just the first step.
Today, we’re going to dig into how you can turn those insights into real action by focusing on one high-impact area to help you finish the year strong. We’ll break down how to prioritize your focus, set realistic goals, and streamline systems that not only reduce stress but also boost efficiency.
So if your operations are a mess and you're ready to do something about it, the strategies I share will help you get off the hamster wheel and make your business work for you for a change.
If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and finally make progress that matters, tune in now!
1:59 - What to do with the insights from the Annual Business Checkup
3:28 - Why focusing on one high-impact area is key
8:03 - Setting realistic goals and streamlining your systems
12:30 - How eliminating overwhelm leads to faster results
14:36 - Steps to finish the year strong and build momentum for next year
References Mentioned In This Episode:
Episode 179 - Annual Business Checkup: Empower Your Mindset for Growth
Episode 180 - Annual Business Checkup: Take Control of Your Time and Productivity
Episode 181 - Annual Business Checkup: Streamline Your Operations for Success
Let me know your thoughts! Click here to send me a text.
Leave a Rating and Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/mindyourtime
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Check Out The MY-T Society Membership
Listen to My Free Audio Masterclass
Schedule a 20 Minute Chat with Me
Let’s connect online:
Follow Me On Instagram: @the_shannonbaker
If you're tired of your business running you and you're ready to flip the script, then this episode is just what you need. Today's episode is a follow-up to our annual business checkup series, where we talked about what's really been holding your business back, your mindset and your back office. But listen, gathering the data, that was just the first step. Now it's time to turn that insight into action. So today I'm breaking down how you can pick just one area to focus on for the rest of the year so you can finish stronger, without burning out, and finally see the progress that you want. Welcome to the Mind your Time podcast. I'm Shannon Baker, your coffee loving host and business strategist. Each week, I will share practical insights and bold strategies for six figure entrepreneurs looking to clean up their back office and create streamlined systems. The weekly episodes will help you take control of your time, scale your business and create success on your own terms. So grab your cup of coffee or your favorite beverage and let's dive into today's topic. So, in case you missed it, we recently wrapped up the annual business checkup series, which you can binge listen to in less than an hour, and if you tuned into the series already, I hope you took the time to actually do the checkup, because the information that you've gathered is pure gold for pushing your business forward, especially as the year comes to an end. Now, if this is your first time tuning in, don't worry. Finish this episode first, but I'm going to challenge you to go back and listen to the series afterwards. Those episodes will walk you through evaluating your business as it is right now, so you can identify the gaps in your back office and get crystal clear on when your time, money and energy might be slipping through the cracks. Trust me, you don't want to miss it. Now. If you've completed your checkup, great job. You've already taken a huge step. But now here's where the rubber meets the road. All of that information that you gathered it's just the beginning.
Speaker 1:The real transformation happens when you take that knowledge and put some action with it. And, let's be real, you're at a critical turning point. You want results and you want to finish the year strong, so don't give up now. You can either turn the insight that you've gathered into real, tangible action, or you can stay stuck in the same cycles that have been keeping you overwhelmed and feeling burnt out by a business that's not growing. The choice is yours Now I know you're thinking as you look at your checkup results well, where do I even start?
Speaker 1:Or there's so much to fix, it just feels impossible, and I get it. It's easy to feel overwhelmed when everything seems like it's a priority or needs to be a priority, but here's the truth you don't need to fix everything right now, at one time. Trying to do it all at once is going to leave you exhausted and frustrated. And let me remind you, we're not about that hustle and grind mentality that a lot of people have. We're here. We're about strategic, focused action that leads to real progress without burning you out. And I don't want you to get caught up in perfectionism either, because that will also hold you back.
Speaker 1:So here's what I want you to do next, whether you've already completed the checkup or not, think about the areas of your business that are causing you the most stress. What's keeping you up at night or draining your time and energy? Maybe it's your client management system. Maybe it's all of your business operations or just your marketing, or should I say lack of marketing or systems, because when it comes to marketing, you have to be clear on what you're offering. But whatever it is, I want you to pick just one area and focus on that for the rest of the year. Yes, I said just one. Do not underestimate how much progress you can make in the next 90 days or so. I know that your instinct is to try to fix everything at once, but spreading yourself too thin is the fastest way to make sure you actually get nothing done. Plus, consider the season of life that you're in right now and over the next few months and make sure you pick your focus accordingly, now and over the next few months. And make sure you pick your focus accordingly. We're not just doing this to be busy, because they get you nowhere, right. So let me give you a real life example to drive this point home.
Speaker 1:One of the biggest areas of overwhelm that I see with entrepreneurs, especially women, who are close to six figures or who just crossed that milestone, is their client onboarding process, or lack of, I should say. They've got clients coming in through referrals, which is great, but their onboarding process is either non-existent or what they have is a complete mess. So they reinvent the wheel every time. So a new client signs up. Each time they do it differently. That's a huge time waster, not to mention it's draining your energy to have to think of all the steps and, let's be honest, it's not sustainable. If you're trying to grow Now, if that's your pain point, I don't want you to make the same mistake, and that's why, inside the Mighty Society membership, there is a welcome kit and onboarding process workbook, and that workbook is designed to help you create a professional, seamless and efficient onboarding experience for your clients without the overwhelm.
Speaker 1:It walks you through every step of the process, so you don't have to figure this out on your own. Well, it walks you through every step of the process, so you don't have to figure this out on your own. You're also going to find templates that you can customize to make it easier for you to create a welcome kit for your business so that every new client feels valued, informed and confident in your services right from the start. I mean, think about it. What would it feel like to have a process that runs like clockwork every time you onboard a new client, and what impression do you think that will make on your client, not to mention what it does to your confidence? But when they see a smooth, professional onboarding process, it builds trust so they won't question your ability to fulfill your contract and that actually sets the tone for your entire working relationship.
Speaker 1:Remember, you're not just delivering a service. You're delivering a seamless experience that says I've got this under control and you're in good hands. At least, that's what we want you to be able to do. A branded welcome kit with an efficient onboarding process is how you show up as a leader of your business, and that's exactly what the Mighty Society membership is created to help you do. One of our members shared her experience and I think it perfectly captures the power of this membership. Listen to what she had to say.
Speaker 2:This program has really been instrumental in my growth as an entrepreneur. I always told Shannon when I first became an entrepreneur, I Googled how do you start a business and it told me LLC, ein website, but it didn't speak about the importance of having an efficient back office operations and automating your system so that you don't have to focus on them as much. This membership allowed me to do just that. Not only did it give me the platforms, but the information. It also allowed me to talk to Shannon to see how can I build a foundation now for the success I see in the future. And that's one of the biggest things I've learned the success of your business starts with the foundation you lay it on. So I highly recommend this membership program to entrepreneurs, no matter the level you're on.
Speaker 1:Her words perfectly capture what I want to help you build A solid foundation that allows you to achieve sustainable growth that supports the lifestyle you want, but without the overwhelm and without having to figure it out all by yourself. So once you've identified that one area you're going to focus on, you need a reasonable and realistic action plan, and I'm a big believer in 90 day action plans, and even though we're close to the end of the year, you still have time to create and execute a plan. Here's how you can create one Break down what needs to happen in your business into smaller, manageable steps. Then make sure you set realistic deadlines for each step, because without those deadlines, you are not going to make progress, and we're not talking about just making a list of things that you're going to do someday. The point of this process is for you to get results. So let's go back to that client onboarding process. Your 90-day plan would start with you auditing your current process. Identify all the touch points in your client journey. How are they currently moving through it? Where are the bottlenecks or points where they're confused? Then you need to set a deadline to update your process, and that could mean using the templates in that welcome kit workbook to build a custom onboarding workflow. The final step is testing that new system with at least one or two new clients before the year ends.
Speaker 1:But keep in mind, progress does not happen overnight. It's not about getting everything perfect from the start, because that's never going to happen. But you also can't set it and forget it. You have to make sure you check your systems regularly to ensure they're still efficient and working for your business. That's why the series is an annual checkup series, because here's the thing even when things get busy or you feel like you're falling behind, the most important thing you need to do is focus on taking one step at a time. So ask yourself what's the one thing that I can do today to keep my business moving forward? Now, if you're thinking well, shannon, this all sounds great, but I'm already maxed out. Girl, I hear you, but here's where you need to stop and rethink how you're working. You don't have to do everything alone and honestly, you shouldn't. Growing a sustainable business means learning to delegate and get support after you've got your systems in place and inside of the Mighty Society membership.
Speaker 1:You don't just get access to workbooks like that onboarding and welcome kit. You get access to a full arsenal of resources that are designed to help you organize, streamline and simplify your business operations. So let me tell you about a few of these resources. One, when it comes to goal setting there are goal setting worksheets in there that will help you define your priorities for the next 90 days and plan to make it happen. And if you're one of those people who tends to juggle too many things at once, the worksheets are going to help you focus on the most important things that you need to complete, which will move your business forward, and I don't mean things that keep you busy, but things that actually get you results. Then there's the BizOps checklist. This is a tool that you want to use to identify where the gaps are in your back office. The checklist helps you audit your operations quickly so you can spot the inefficiencies and fix them. This is exactly what you need when you're feeling overwhelmed by all the moving parts of your business.
Speaker 1:And if marketing is where you're struggling, let me tell you about the Marketing Matrix Analyzer. That resource is designed to help you create a strategy that actually drives revenue. It can help you evaluate your current marketing efforts so you get better results. So no more spaghetti marketing tactics where you randomly post and cross your fingers, hoping someone's gonna take action and purchase your service. After using the analyzer, you're gonna be able to focus on what's proven to drive results in your business which will have a direct impact on your bottom line, and that's exactly what you want Now. Those are just a few of the resources inside of the Mighty Society membership. Everything in there is designed to save you time and mental energy. So, instead of piecing things together on your own or Googling your way through every problem, the Mighty Society membership gives you the tools you need right at your fingertips, in one location, so that you can take action now. But you don't have to take my word for it. This is what another member had to say.
Speaker 3:I love that the videos are stripped down to just what you need to know to get started, so you can save hours of Googling and YouTubing. When I first joined, I started looking around a little bit inside the membership, but mostly I was able to go straight to what I was looking for because it was so easy to navigate. I could find just what I need when I needed it.
Speaker 1:So if you're still thinking I still don't have time for all of this, the words you just heard prove you wrong. All of us have the same 24 hours in a day, and it's not about having more time, it's about using your time wisely. You can make progress in your back office in as little as 30 minutes a week yeah, 30 minutes. And don't wait until December to take action. You need to set a weekly or bi-weekly reminder to take a close look at where you are, what's working, what's not, what do you need to adjust? Flexibility is important, and so is consistency. No, you're not going to get immediate results from every change, but small, steady progress is how you build a business that runs like a well-oiled machine. And if you haven't done the checkup yet, this is your reminder. It's not too late to go back and listen to the annual business checkup series. Those episodes are going to help you identify the gaps in your business, figure out where you're wasting time, money and energy, and help you get clarity on where you need to focus to get results for the rest of this year and into the next. So let's do a quick recap of today's action steps before we wrap up. First, you need to choose one area you're going to focus on the rest of the year. Do not try to fix everything. Just pick one thing that's going to focus on the rest of the year. Do not try to fix everything. Just pick one thing that's going to have the biggest impact. Then you need to create your 90-day action plan, break it down into steps and make sure you set deadlines. And then, finally, you need to check in with yourself regularly, be consistent, be flexible and stay focused. Now I want you to take a moment and think back to why you decided to complete the business checkup in the first place. It wasn't about figuring out what needs to be fixed in your back office. You really wanted to know how you can make real improvements in the way that you run your business so that you can finish the year stronger than you started. You want clarity, control and a clear path forward. This is your moment to make a pivot. Take what you've learned about your business and try something different to get the results that you want. Get off the hamster wheel. By focusing on just one area, creating a solid plan and committing to those regular, honest check-ins with yourself, you're setting yourself up for real progress, not just in your business, but in how you show up for yourself as a business owner and as someone who wants a life outside of their business. And remember, I'm here to support you every step of the way. So if you're ready to take control of your time, get organized and grow your business with less stress than the Mighty Society membership, that's definitely the first step you need to take right now. With the resources, guidance and support available to you inside, you can stop spinning your wheels and start moving forward with confidence. So, if you're ready to make these last few months count and lay a strong foundation for the years ahead, join us inside the Mighty Society membership today. You've already put in the work by completing the checkup. Now let's turn that information into transformation. I cannot wait to see the progress you're going to make and the business you're going to build once you have the right systems in place.
Speaker 1:Thank you for tuning in this week. Remember, just listening to this episode will not get you better results. So I challenge you to break the mold and take action today. If you're unsure where to start, book a call with me to get your questions answered about the Mighty Society membership or anything else that I mentioned. A link to my calendar is in the show notes.
Speaker 1:Not ready to take that step yet? No problem, be sure to connect with me on Instagram, at the underscore Shannon Baker. You can ask me your questions there or let me know that you enjoyed the episode by taking a screenshot, sharing it and tagging me. Now, if you haven't already grabbed my free audio masterclass, why don't you just start there? It's a great first step to assess your back office on your own, and this masterclass provides valuable insights and practical steps to help you organize your processes, reduce chaos and improve efficiency. Go to theshannonbakercom forward slash audio masterclass Now. If you haven't left a review for the podcast yet, please do so. I would love to hear from you, and it's an easy way to show some love to the podcast and help me reach more small business owners who are ready to defy the status quo. I can't wait to hear from you. So until next time, keep calm and streamline.