How to take the best of corporate into business
In this episode of Many Hats of Business, I talk to business consultant and strategist Kirsty Carr. About how to take the best of corporate into business. And her journey from the corporate world to establishing her own business.
Kirsty shares insights on the challenges of conforming to corporate standards. And her decision to embrace entrepreneurial freedom. She emphasises the importance of strategic planning, resilience, and creating a profitable, sustainable business.
Listen to the full episode here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/many-hats-of-business/episodes/006-How-to-take-the-best-of-corporate-into-business–Kirsty-Carr-e2js8vu
Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/WWCHw8tMufQ
00:00 Welcome to Many Hats of Business Podcast
00:55 Meet Kirsty Carr: A Business Consultant’s Journey
01:24 Why Kirsty Left the Corporate World
04:45 Adapting Corporate Strategies to Small Business
06:03 The Importance of Planning and Goal Setting
08:56 Investing Wisely in Your Business and Yourself
13:49 The Power of One-on-One Coaching
18:16 Navigating the Online Business World
18:33 Understanding Business Profitability and Investment
22:06 Personal Growth and Business Strategy
26:35 Strategizing for Business Success and Growth
27:48 The Importance of Planning and Structure in Business
28:12 Navigating Business Challenges and Growth Strategies
34:06 Adapting to Change and Leveraging Opportunities
36:29 Building a Sustainable Business Model
39:49 Leadership, Team Building, and Business Management
45:57 Effective Time Management and Productivity Tips
51:03 Outsourcing and Effective Business Operations
54:16 Closing Thoughts and Resources for Business Owners
Book recommendation:
mar·ket·ing: Everything you need to know in a bite-sized pocket guide. – Sonya Gonzalez Mier Preview it on Amazon here.
Connect with Kirsty Carr:
Website: https://kirstycarrstrategy.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-carr-strategy
Visit our Podcast homepage to see our latest episodes.
Take the best of corporate into business – podcast transcription
In this episode of the Many Hats of Business podcast, I’m thrilled to have Kirsty Carr joining me. Kirsty is a business consultant and strategist based in sunny Staffordshire, UK. With a background of 17 years in the corporate world, Kirsty made the leap into entrepreneurship about four years ago.
From Corporate to Entrepreneurship
I kick off our conversation by asking Kirsty what prompted her to start her own business. She shares, “I have always, always felt like a square peg in a round hole in a working environment. I have my own sense of what’s fashionable and what I think is professional. And those do not include wearing suits and stilettos!”
Kirsty found herself constantly trying to conform to somebody else’s arbitrary standards of who she should be as a person. Despite loving her job, her team, and the people she worked with, she realised she was selling her soul for a role where she was still just a number on somebody’s book.
Taking the Best of Corporate into Business
While the corporate culture didn’t align with Kirsty’s values, she absolutely loved the structure, discipline, organisation, and processes that the corporate world offered. She explains, “Everybody knows what they’re there to do. Everybody’s working towards a common goal. Everybody knows what their role is in the business. Everybody knows how to contribute.”
When Kirsty started her own business, she made a conscious effort to bring the best of those corporate practices into her entrepreneurial venture. Despite being a solopreneur at the moment, she has a job description for herself, outlining the team structure, org chart, and job roles. This clarity helps her understand how future team members will complement each other and work together effectively.
The Power of Tracking and Planning
Kirsty is a big believer in tracking everything in her business. She shares, “I have KPIs for everything. I track every penny coming in and out, and I track cashflow. I also track my return on investment.”
She also holds regular board meetings, even if it’s just her talking about stuff, and documents them diligently. Kirsty emphasises the importance of having a long-term plan, preferably a five-year plan, to drive the best behaviour and decision-making in your business.
“I don’t believe that you will get to the point of success that you’re looking for without having any idea of what you’re going to do to get there.”
Manifesting is Planning
Kirsty draws a parallel between the concept of manifesting, popular in the online business space, and good old-fashioned planning. She explains, “In my language, manifesting is planning. What is it that I want? Okay, I want this. I’m going to manifest this. So what do I need to do in terms of doing the action to help me achieve that and get that manifestation? In my world, it’s exactly the same thing. I just call it planning and activity.”
Whether you call it manifesting or planning, the key is to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and then break down the actions needed to get there. It’s about working backwards, identifying any gaps or holes in your plan, and figuring out how to plug them – whether that’s through learning, software, outsourcing, or building a team.
Avoiding Shiny Object Syndrome
In the online business world, it’s easy to get caught up in shiny object syndrome – constantly chasing the latest courses, tools, or strategies. Kirsty advises taking a step back and evaluating whether those investments align with your actual business needs and goals.
She suggests asking yourself, “Is that something you can control? Is it something that you need help with externally? Is it something that you need to get a team in? Or Is it something that you outsource? Or is it a learning or software? What is it that’s going to plug that gap?”
By focusing on your specific business needs, you can avoid getting distracted by shiny objects that won’t actually move the needle for you. Kirsty emphasises, “If you don’t need it at that specific time, I would have to say, why are you working on that? That investment isn’t a sound investment.”
The Value of Investing in the “Wrong” Thing
Interestingly, Kirsty points out that there can be value even in investing in something that turns out to be the “wrong” thing for your business. She explains, “If you spend money on a course or program and realise that some of the teaching or framework isn’t for you, what’s actually happened is you’ve really shortened the research gap. You’ve realised that something in there isn’t for you, and now you know that you don’t want to work in that way.”
This realisation can save you from wasting more time and money pursuing strategies that don’t align with your goals or values. It’s all part of the learning process as you figure out what works best for you and your business.
Perfection is the Enemy of Progress
As our conversation continues, Kirsty and I bond over our shared experiences with perfectionism. Coming from a corporate background where everything was scrutinised to within an inch of its life, Kirsty found herself struggling with perfectionism in her first year of business.
She shares, “I can’t tell you how much that held me back in my first year of business until I learned to let go of that. Because in people, healthy humans aren’t looking for perfection.”
Letting go of perfectionism can be incredibly challenging, especially if you’re used to high standards and attention to detail. However, it’s essential to recognise when perfectionism is holding you back from making progress and putting yourself out there.
“Perfection massively held me back – I have my corporate career to thank for that.”
You need the nuts and bolts in business.
Like, there’s all these things to consider, and I don’t believe that every business owner online considers them, because they’re not shiny, they’re not beautiful, they’re not fun. No, that isn’t fun, the nuts and bolts. But the result is absolutely fun, because you get to do what you want to do.
The Power of Processes in Business
Kirsty and I touch on the importance of processes in business. She credits her corporate experience for instilling discipline around processes. Over time, she’s seen the enormous benefits of defining roles, delegating effectively, and having regular team communication. It reduces stress and allows the business to function smoothly.
As your business grows, implementing processes becomes crucial. Kirsty shares, “Everything that you need as a business owner to make a decision is within your gift. It’s whether you choose or not to work out how to uncover that and then turn that into tangible data for you to make an informed decision.”
Making Informed Decisions
One key takeaway from our conversation is the importance of making informed decisions in your business. Kirsty emphasises, “Taking a step back and being more thoughtful about your decisions and making them informed decisions can make the biggest difference in your business.”
It’s not about rushing into things or following the crowd. It’s about understanding your business’s unique needs and making strategic choices that align with your goals.
Resilience and Accountability in Business
Kirsty compares owning a business to being on a rollercoaster ride. It’s not always smooth sailing, and resilience is key. She advises, “If you aren’t resilient already, I would say think about how you can increase your resilience. What would you need to put in place to help you with that?”
Accountability is also crucial. As a business owner, you have to be willing to take full responsibility for your decisions. Kirsty puts it bluntly, “If you aren’t willing to do that, I would challenge you owning a business in the first place.”
The Importance of Leadership and Delegation
As your business grows and you start building a team, leadership skills become essential. However, not all business owners are natural-born leaders. Kirsty shares, “If you can’t provide that leadership, then bring somebody in who can. They may come from a corporate background or already be in a leadership position.”
Delegation is also vital for growth. Kirsty emphasises, “In order to grow, you have to let go.” This means setting up clear expectations, roles, and objectives for your team. It’s about moving away from personal values and establishing company values that everyone can align with.
Practical Tips for Motivation, Momentum, and Time Management
To help with motivation, momentum, and time management, Kirsty shares some practical tips:
Time blocking: Color-code your calendar to dedicate time to different areas of your business (people, products, processes, profit). Don’t forget to schedule breaks between meetings to allow your brain to recharge.
Email management: Don’t feel pressured to respond to emails immediately. Set specific times to check and respond to emails, such as morning, after lunch, and end of day.
Tracking and measuring: Pick one area of your business that you’re struggling with and start measuring it regularly. Gradually add more metrics to track over time. Remember, small tweaks can lead to big leaps.
Final Thoughts – Take the best of corporate into business
Taking the best of corporate into your business is about striking a balance. It’s about implementing processes, making informed decisions, building resilience, and developing leadership skills. As Kirsty beautifully sums up, “Everything in business has got a gold thread, and it’s just about learning where to weave that through to get you the maximum impact and return for you and everybody that your business affects.”
By following Kirsty’s advice and insights, you can start taking the best of corporate practices and adapting them to help your business thrive. Remember, it’s not about perfection, but about continuous improvement and growth.
Book recommendation:
mar·ket·ing: Everything you need to know in a bite-sized pocket guide. – Sonya Gonzalez Mier Preview it on Amazon here.
Connect with Kirsty Carr:
Website: https://kirstycarrstrategy.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-carr-strategy
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