Feeling Stretched Thin? How Leverage, Responsibility, and Smart Pricing Can Help Your Business Thrive

Are you a business owner constantly feeling pulled in a million directions? Do you feel like you're doing too many things and inevitably dropping the ball sometimes? If you're nodding along, know that you're not alone. This feeling of being stretched thin is common, but it's not sustainable.

Based on insights from a recent coaching session with a client, let's explore some principles that can help you move from feeling overwhelmed to operating with more clarity and control. If you'd prefer to watch, click play on the YouTube video above or clickhere to watch.

1. Embrace Leverage and Scale

When you feel like there's too much to do and not enough you to do it, the key concepts to focus on are Leverage and Scale.

• Scale: Think about how you can expand your efforts without proportionally increasing your workload. What systems can you build? What processes can you streamline?
• Leverage: How can you use resources – people, technology, or existing assets – to achieve more? This could mean tapping into:
  • People: Employees, contractors, or freelancers who can take specific tasks off your plate.
  • Resources/Technology: Tools or platforms that automate or simplify parts of your workflow.
  • Assets: Creating something once that can serve many. For example, writing a book (like my own, "The Jump: From Chaos to Clarity for Your Striving Small Business") allows me to share insights widely without needing a one-on-one conversation each time. That's leverage.

Constantly ask yourself: What am I doing repeatedly that could be systemized, delegated, or automated? Putting these elements in place creates leverage points, allowing you to scale your impact beyond your individual hours.

2. The Power of Owning Your Mistakes

Failure happens. We all drop the ball sometimes, whether it's with a client or an employee. The crucial part isn't if you fail, but how you handle it.

Embrace responsibility. When you make a mistake, own it. Don't blame others, don't make excuses, don't try to justify it. Simply acknowledge it.

Doing this achieves several important things:

• Builds Trust: It shows clients and team members that you are accountable and not looking to shift blame. This makes you trustworthy, even when you falter.
• Shows Humility: It acknowledges you're human and fallible.
• Strengthens Relationships: When you take responsibility and actively work to rectify the situation, you can often build a stronger connection than before the mistake occurred.
• Facilitates Growth: Owning mistakes turns them into learning opportunities. Those moments of regret can serve as powerful reminders to improve processes and avoid repeating the same error.

Don't shy away from responsibility – lean into it. It’s a cornerstone of strong leadership and lasting business relationships.

3. The Growth Crossroads: Increase Rates or Scale Up?

If you're doing good work and providing value, you'll naturally attract more clients and projects. This is great news, but it often leads back to that "stretched thin" feeling. You now face a critical decision:

• Option A: Increase Your Rates. If you prefer to keep your business manageable or operate as a solo freelancer/consultant (like myself), raising your rates is a powerful lever. By charging more for your value, you can potentially:
  • Earn the same (or more) while working fewer hours.
  • Make the demanding workload feel more worthwhile.
  • Naturally filter new inquiries, ensuring you only take on clients who truly value your expertise at the new price point. (Some existing clients might adjust their hours or even move on, which can be necessary to regain capacity).
• Option B: Scale Your Operations. If raising rates isn't the path you want, or if you aim to build a larger business, the focus returns to leverage and scale. This means investing in:
  • Robust systems and processes.
  • Technology to handle increased volume.
  • Hiring and managing people (employees, contractors) to deliver the work.

This requires building a truly scalable business model rather than just increasing your workload.

4. Avoid the Trap: Working More for Less

There's a dangerous trap many business owners fall into over time: without consciously applying these principles, they find themselves working more and more hours while their effective earnings decrease or stagnate.

This often happens when:

• You haven't increased rates for long-term clients, despite your growing experience and market value.
• A lack of confidence prevents you from charging what you're truly worth.
• You're driven by a need for client approval, leading you to over-deliver without adequate compensation.

This creates an unsustainable dynamic. The goal should often be the opposite: figuring out how to work smarter (and potentially less over time) while increasing or maintaining your income, reflecting the value you provide.

What Are Your Thoughts?

Feeling stretched thin is a signal that something needs to change. By focusing on leverage and scale, taking responsibility for setbacks, and making conscious decisions about your pricing and business model, you can navigate the challenges of growth more effectively.

Are you feeling stretched thin? Do any of these points resonate? What strategies have you used?

If you need a coach to help guide you on this matter, contact me, and let's explore working together.