Images October 2019 Digital Edition

www.images-magazine.com KB BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OCTOBER 2019 images 49 F or a lot of us in the decorated apparel industry, there’s an overwhelming avalanche of work to do every day. You know what I’m talking about. It never ends. You complete one task, and in a matter of minutes, four or five more are added to the pile. Sooner or later, your enthusiasm for this business and your role in it wanes. It’s like an energy vampire is sucking the lifeblood out of you every time you think about that pile of screens that need to be reclaimed, or another 5k .jpg art file redrawn. In the movies, vampires can be defeated with a combination of garlic, crucifixes, wooden stakes and holy water. This article is all about kicking that vampire’s butt, reclaiming your energy and getting your mojo back. Identify your stress Do we have stress in this industry? Are you kidding? Stress is the norm. It’s how you deal with it that matters. The first thing I want you to do is to name your stress. You have to identify it. Say it out loud. I’m not kidding. Why? Stress is the number one energy vampire, so once you’ve identified your stress point, you can work up an action plan to deal with it. Stress comes in many forms. It could be a task you hate to do, like accounting. Maybe it’s dealing with an employee problem. Cash flow. Craftsmanship. Sometimes it’s the pressing need to finish 15 things at once. You need to get these out in the open. Stop dealing with them internally. Start seeking relief by developing a plan to handle whatever is stressful for you in a positive way. Stress action plan After you’ve named the stress, start a list of what’s causing this stressful situation. For example, let’s say it’s a cash flow problem. You’re really busy, and because of that there’s a lot of money going out due to buying goods, paying employees and expenses… but the money isn’t coming back in fast enough. The answer could be in how you take jobs. Instead of offering terms like Net 30 or a 50/50 payment plan, move to have the orders come in with 100% payment upfront. This is a growing trend in the industry, and one that’s making a significant difference to the cash flow situation for many shops. Remember, what got you into this situation isn’t going to be the way out of it. You have to do something differently. A policy change, or even a new set of customers, could be the solution. Situations don’t solve themselves. Ask for feedback Another great step is to admit that you don’t have all of the answers. I know, you want to be in control, but talking it out with a friend, colleague, or a coach (like me), can help you get a different perspective. If all you know is your experience, why not look for a different viewpoint? In fact, just talking about the situation with someone that can actively listen can do wonders for your mental state. That’s the beauty of conversation. Just getting it out. Delegate Here’s one tip that always works: you don’t have to do everything. The biggest enemy in your business is time. There are only so many hours in the day, which is why a lot of entrepreneurs in this industry work a dozen or more hours a day. Sooner or later burn-out sets in. Delegation means getting someone else to do the things that you don’t have time for, don’t like to do, or really aren’t even good at doing. But before you hand someone a time bomb, make sure they understand the expectations, how to actually do the work, and what success should look like. Check in on them occasionally just to make sure everything is okay. Hire some rock stars This industry is full of rock stars. Not in the sense that they can fill a stadium full of people with their music, (although some probably can), but Stress is the number one energy vampire Slayyour energy vampire If workplace stress is draining your energy, Marshall Atkinson has some advice to help you vanquish your demons