Here’s how to grow and scale your small business

As a creative entrepreneur or small business owner, you’re likely spending night and day learning, looking for resources, and working hard to ensure that your small business is set up to grow and scale successfully. However, it can be challenging to know where to start. In this blog post, I’ll share seven tips for scaling your business, tailored specifically to my creative entrepreneur friends like Etsy sellers, artists, painters, graphic designers, web designers, illustrators, content writers + more.

A note on collaborating with other business owners…

Did you know that small businesses that partner together are more profitable than those that don't? In fact, research shows that businesses that collaborate are twice as likely to be profitable than those that don't. So, if you're looking to scale your business, partnering with other businesses can be a great way to achieve your goals. For more on collaborating with other business owners, check out my blog post 7 WAYS TO FIND AND COLLABORATE WITH OTHER SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.

7 Tips for Scaling Your Business

1. Set Clear Goals

The first step in scaling your business is to set clear goals. Define what you want to achieve and create a plan to get there. Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. I recommend taking some time to write out your goals, get everything out on paper and literally draw up a business plan. What’s your road map? What do you want your journey to look like? What’s holding. you back? What’s working? Don’t skip this step.

2. Leverage Your Network

Your network can be a valuable resource when it comes to scaling your business. Reach out to your contacts, attend networking events, ask to get coffee with local businesses in the area, and engage with your audience on social media. All of these networking activities help you to expand your reach and cast a wider net. Just like how they teach you in college to network for an internship or full time job after graduation, you should be doing the same thing for your small business, and trust me, it’s worth it! Building relationships can lead to new opportunities and collaborations.

3. Focus on Customer Experience

One of the most effective ways to scale your business is to focus on customer experience. Make sure your customers are satisfied with your products or services and create a positive relationship with them. This can lead to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth promotion which is a severely underrated marketing tactic that’s absolutely invaluable for you and your business. Examine every stage of your customer’s journey with your business. Are there areas you can improve? How can you go above and beyond? What do you do that your competition doesn’t? How can you set yourself apart?

4. Automate Processes

Automating your business processes can save you time and money. Look for opportunities to automate tasks such as invoicing, social media scheduling, and email marketing. This will allow you to focus on growing your business. I love to use Honeybook and Notion as well as the AI integration on Notion to save me time on admin tasks that can be a big time suck for small business owners. After all, as an entrepreneur, time is one of your most valuable resources. Don’t waste it!

5. Outsource Tasks

As your business grows, you may find that you need help with certain tasks. Outsourcing can be a great way to get the support you need without hiring a full-time employee. Consider outsourcing tasks such as graphic design, content writing, or website development. I had my first experience outsourcing for my business in 2023 when I finally decided it was time to hire an SEO expert to develop and write custom, SEO-optimized content for the landing page of my custom wedding illustrations service line. It was one of the best investments I’ve made for my business!

6. Learn from Your Competitors

Your competitors can offer valuable insights into the industry and what works. Take a look at what they're doing and see if there are any strategies you can apply to your own business. This doesn’t mean copy! It just means doing your competitor research and staying up to date with industry trends and what’s working.

7. Invest in Your Business

Finally, investing in your business can help you scale and grow. This can include spending money on marketing, a digital course to further your knowledge, hiring employees, or upgrading your equipment. Don't be afraid to invest in your business if it means you can achieve your goals faster. The first big purchase I ever made for my business was an iPad in 2019. I’m still using the same iPad to this day! I remember when I walked up to the counter to make this purchase at Best Buy, I was pretty intimidated. I had just graduated from college and my parents had gifted me a check as a graduation present. So I took all my graduation money as well as some of my own to cover the full cost of the iPad and made the purchase. Part of me was intimidated to be dropping over $1,000 on a piece of technology that I didn’t quite know the potential of yet, but I knew in the back of my mind that this was the right move for my business and it would change the way I did EVERYTHING. That little voice in my head was right! I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t made that investment in my business.

How Passive Income Can Help Grow Your Small Business

Passive income streams can be a great way to supplement your regular income and grow your business. Here are some ideas for creating passive income based on your occupation:

Etsy Sellers and Artists

• Create digital products, such as printable art or digital downloads of your designs

• Sell templates for craft projects or printables that customers can customize themselves

• Offer online courses or tutorials on your creative process

Graphic Designers and Web Designers

• Sell pre-made design templates or website themes

• Create and sell stock photos or graphics

• Create a digital course

Painters and Illustrators

• Sell prints of your artwork or designs on sites like Society6 or Redbubble

• License your artwork for use in other products, such as greeting cards or home decor

• Create and sell coloring books or other activity books based on your art

Content Writers

• Write and sell e-books or courses on your area of expertise

• Create and sell printable planners or journals based on your niche

• Write and sell templates

Remember, creating passive income streams takes time and effort upfront, but once they're established (and with the right marketing strategies), they can provide a steady source of income and help grow your business.

WHEN TO HIRE

Knowing when to hire someone for your team can be a difficult decision, and this is something I’m still trying to figure out! But even if this feels far away for your business, here are some signs that it may be time to bring on additional help:

• You're consistently working long hours and can't keep up with demand

• You're turning down work because you don't have the bandwidth to take it on

• You're spending too much time on administrative tasks that could be delegated

• You're not able to focus on the tasks that are most important for growing your business

• You're missing opportunities because you don't have the skills or resources to take advantage of them

If you're experiencing any of these signs, it may be time to start thinking about hiring someone to help you manage your workload and grow your business.

Scaling your business can be a challenge, but with the right strategies, it's possible. By setting clear goals, leveraging your network, focusing on customer experience, automating your processes, outsourcing tasks, learning from your competitors, and investing in your business, you can achieve growth and expansion. Remember, collaboration is key, and partnering with other businesses can lead to success. Good luck on your small business journey! Always rooting for you!