Cash, Clients and Operations - The Key Indicators in Your Business

In this week’s podcast, I discuss the theme of getting back to school, back to work, and most importantly, back to focusing on your business. With the kids finally settled into their routines, it’s the perfect time for us, as business owners, to take a proper look at where our businesses stand and what needs attention. Whether you’ve got children or not, September is a great time to reflect on the busy summer period and start thinking about the future. I talk about the three key signs that your business might need some work—cashflow, customer relationships, and operational efficiency, which I like to call the CCO. If your cash flow is struggling, if your customer relationships are tense, and if your operations are inefficient, it’s a clear signal that something needs to change. I share a personal story from my own business, Aura Landscapes, where we faced these exact issues and had to take a step back to reassess and make some tough decisions. Operational efficiency was a major challenge for us, and it had a domino effect on our cash flow and customer relationships. Jobs were overrunning, customers were getting annoyed, and the whole business felt like it was spiralling. To turn things around, I had to take responsibility as the business owner and work closely with my team, especially my admin superstar, Annmaree. She helped me dig into the data and see where we were going wrong, which led to some major restructuring in our business. One of the biggest changes we made was downsizing our team to the smallest it’s ever been since we started 14 years ago. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was necessary to get our cash flow and operations back on track. We also had to communicate openly with our clients about delays and changes, which helped smooth things over. Communication is key, especially when things aren’t going to plan, and it’s something I can’t stress enough. I also emphasise the importance of knowing your numbers and using cash flow forecasting to make informed decisions. I’ve seen firsthand how liberating it can be for business owners when they finally understand their cash flow and can plan for the future with confidence. It’s not just about making decisions on the fly; it’s about having a clear, real-time picture of your business’s financial health and using that to guide your strategy. To wrap up, I encourage all of you to take a good look at your business and think about where you might need to put in some work. Remember, it’s not just about keeping things ticking over—it’s about making sure your business is thriving and that you’re on track to reach your goals. If you’ve got any questions or need help with anything, you know where to find me. And on a more personal note, I share a bit about my own recent loss, reminding us all that it’s okay to feel and that business and life are deeply intertwined. So, until next time, keep pushing forward, keep looking after your business, and most importantly, keep looking after yourselves. The Landscaper’s Coach & Podcast Call us on: 02381 800 102 Email: [email protected] Send us a DM on Instagram with any questions you might have @thelimitlesslandscaperspodcast. Follow TLC on Instagram: @TheLandscapersCoach Follow our Podcast on Instagram: @thelimitlesslandscaperspodcast Follow me! Paula Warman on Instagram: @warmanpaula Website: https://www.thelandscaperscoach.co.uk