So you have plunged into small business ownership and it's going along nicely but now you want to take a break. Well here are some great guidelines on how to make it happen. It does rely on you "letting go", but it'll be worth it.
Running a Business While on Holiday
Small business owners are notorious for not taking holidays. In
fact, according to a survey on holiday time
nearly 50% of small business owners take only major holidays off or
nothing at all. Many say that they take only a day off here and there.
And even those small business owners who do take time off tend to
find that a worry-free holiday is out of the question. Surveys suggest that two out
of three entrepreneurs worry while on holiday, about everything from
missed business opportunities
through to employees slacking off. Throw in worries about the economy and
ever-rising fuel and energy costs, and it's no wonder that so many small
business people are reluctant to take some downtime.
But as Alice Bredin, American Express OPEN small business advisor,
says, "For all of us and especially entrepreneurs, a holiday even if
downscaled, is a necessity not a luxury; especially when times are
stressful."
So what can we do to get the worry-free holiday time we need to keep
ourselves and our small businesses thriving? Basically, there are three holiday options.
1) Close the Shop
One popular option for small business owners is to close down during holiday. For instance, a local bakery has a history of being closed
for the month of January while its husband and wife owners take a holiday. Closing down a service business for a brief
period of time is also possible with some advance planning; it's
basically a matter of not scheduling appointments/commitments during a
particular period of time and letting clients know that you're going to
be away in advance.
Closing your business temporarily to take a holiday works well as a
worry-free holiday plan for some because it eliminates so many of the
things we small business owners can't stop worrying about while we're
gone. Employees can’t slack off, for instance, if they're not there.
However, I don't generally recommend closing your business as a holiday solution for two reasons; closed businesses don't bring in any
money and being closed forces your customers and/or clients who can’t
wait to take their business elsewhere.
2) Take Your Business with You
Many small business owners are able to take advantage of current
technology and take their small businesses with them when they travel - a
great way to get a worry-free holiday. As long as you can work
remotely and are holidaying in places with adequate technological
resources (reliable electricity and wireless internet, for example) you can
use your mobile phone/laptop/blackberry to keep your small business
operating.
Your chances of a worry-free holiday are much improved because
you're still able to keep tabs on things and deal with problems as they
crop up.
Obviously, though, taking your business with you when you travel will
not work for some businesses which require face-to-face interactions
and/or hands on production. It doesn't matter how many muffin orders the
bakers I mentioned above are able to take if there's no one on site to
bake them!
And I think it's a poor choice in terms of a business person's
personal health. To do what it's supposed to do, rejuvenate and refresh
you, a holiday should be a period of time you experience differentness,
not do more of the same.
3) Find Replacement Management
For most small businesses, this last worry-free holiday option is
the best. The business continues to operate and bring in money and from a
personal point of view, the small business owner gets what he or she
most needs - a real break.
There are two things you have to do if having someone look after your
business while you're gone is truly going to be a worry-free holiday
experience for you; pick the right person to manage your small business
while you're on holiday and train them to do it ahead of time.
The best way of running a business while on holiday is to have
someone else manage the business while you're away. These worry-free holiday tips will help ensure that you actually get a holiday when you
go, rather than endlessly calling or texting to see how things are
going.
Pick the Right Person
If you have employees, choose the most capable and reliable person
and designate him or her your second-in-command. (You should do this
even if you're not planning a holiday as you never know when you'll be
unable to work in your business for some reason.)
If you don’t have any employees, one ideal solution is to swap
"holiday time" with another business person in the same or a similar
area.
For instance, a financial adviser might cover another financial
adviser's business for a week or two in exchange for having her business
looked after when she goes on holiday. You might also ask a retired
business person to fill in, or one of the members of your advisory board.
Training Them to Manage Your Small Business
1) First, if you are not a one-person business operator, and you're not already doing it, you need to start practicing delegation.
Admittedly, this is more about training you than about training them,
but you have to be able to let go before someone else can do it.
2) Make a list of important procedures and information. What does
your replacement/second in command need to know to keep your business
operating while you're gone?
3) Decide what an emergency is. Under what circumstances do you want
your replacement to contact you while you're on holiday? If a certain
client calls? Only if there's a fire or an earthquake? Be clear about
your expectations.
4) Meet with the person who's going to be running your business while
you're on holiday, share the information and see what other concerns
she or he has.
5) Have some trial runs. Before you go on holiday for a week,
practice turning over the reins and taking a break from your business.
Take a real mini-holiday or pretend you are and do something different
such as taking the weekend off.
Having someone else be in control
of things for brief periods, even if it's just a day, will give you both
the chance to see how things go and work out the details of your "away"
plan - and give you personally a chance to get used to the idea of not
working on your business.
Running a business while on holiday will take a bit of work in
advance on your part, but it's the best way to actually get a worry-free holiday when you do actually take one. And, once your holiday plan is
in place and you have someone prepared to back you up, getting to take a holiday in the future will be a whole lot easier.
ref. About.com Small Business:Canada
Susan Ward, About.com Guide
