by Lisa Shaw Part 6 of 6 Published July 7, 1997 other columns by Lisa Shaw		Growing a business today can be a challenge. Though everything you will do as an entrepreneur will in some way influence how your business grows, most of the time your thoughts will not be on growth, but on putting out all of the little fires that pop up each day. If you have any time or energy left at the end of the day to think about growth, it may be along the lines of how to slow it down so that you'll have at least 15 minutes each day to call your own. Seriously, growth — or the lack of it — is an issue that every entrepreneur has to face at one time or another. There are a variety of ways to deal with the inevitable growth of your business. And if you've gotten this far in your determination to run your own business, handling growth will probably turn out to be the least of your troubles. Many entrepreneurs feel that of all the business problems to have, those that involve issues of growth are among the easiest to handle. It's not always so, however. Although growth, as a rule, means increased revenue and business, it also means more work and expenses, as well as more headaches with which to deal. Your business may grow at a slow but steady rate of 8-10% a year. However, there is the chance that your business growth may explode overnight after a glowing article features your business in a local or national magazine or newspaper, or after you take on a new distributor who is able to triple your business in a month. Which is better? While some entrepreneurs prefer slow growth as a way to allow them to learn about their business and give them a chance to grow into it, others say that rapid and/or sudden growth provides them with a real education of what being an entrepreneur is all about. In addition, sudden growth can provide a needed boost to the company when you might have otherwise been hesitant about forging ahead. This kick in the pants is sometimes exactly what you need. Growth can be managed and controlled to some extent. How you do it and whether you do, however, is up to you.
It's imperative to get away from the business for a full afternoon or evening at least once a week.		One issue you'll face with a growing business is whether or not to hire employees — or if you already have help, whether you should increase their hours to full-time or hire more workers. Your business is your baby, and if you're used to doing it all yourself you may find it hard to delegate some of the responsibility to someone else, even if it means more free time for you. Most entrepreneurs have difficulty letting go at first, but with time and as you begin to see the high level of the ability of the people you do hire, you will be able to trust in them more, which will leave you with time to turn to other problems in the business that need to be addressed. Every entrepreneur has experienced a time when s/he has been so busy, or so involved with the business, that s/he has learned to tune out the world as a whole and not venture beyond the office except to go grocery shopping. Some even get someone else to perform these outside tasks for them. When you start your business, you'll probably be operating out of your home, especially if you're starting out part-time. If you're used to commuting to an office every day, you should be prepared for a shock when you work at home, because you'll have to motivate yourself, and there will be no one else around to do it. In addition, the constant interruptions and lack of personal time can quickly begin to skew your perspective on life and the world. And even if you have regular contact with lots of people over the phone, if you don't venture out at least a few times a week, it's entirely possible that your attitude will begin to change.
WEB RESOURCE: U.S. Small Business Administration Online A terrific resource with information about the Small Business Act, tips on starting and financing your business, local resources, and much more.		That's why it's imperative to get away from the business for a full afternoon or evening at least once a week. Or take one day a week off. Do something that has nothing to do with the business, and do something for yourself for an extended period of time. In the end, whether you decide to keep your business, sell it, or branch off with the goal of running the next up-and-coming business in your industry, you'll quickly discover that running a business is nothing more than a constant stream of choices. Not all of them will be life-and-death situations, and you'll make mistakes, but you'll learn more about your business and how far you are capable of going than anything else. Lisa Shaw has been minding her own business for 16 years. Shaw is the author of more than 20 books on business, travel, and cats; she is also the owner of Litterature, a company that produces greeting cards and gifts for cats and dogs. © 1997 Lisa Shaw. All Rights Reserved.