Organize Your Business

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ORGANIZE
YOUR SMALL

B USINESS
70 TIPS FROM A
COLLECTION OF EXPERTS

Sponsored by Debbie Gilster
www.CenterForProductivity.com
Compiled and Published by
Tips Products International
www.tipsbooklets.com

YOUR SMALL
70 TIPS FROM A
COLLECTION OF EXPERTS

Sponsored by Debbie Gilster
www.CenterForProductivity.com
Compiled and Published by
Tips Products International
www.tipsbooklets.com

INTRODUCTION
This booklet brings you practical and immediately
usable insights in bite-size pieces for organizing your
small business whether it’s a sole proprietorship,
home-based, with or without salaried employees,
primarily online or offline, or any combination. Whether
you are a seasoned business person or just beginning
your professional journey, you are sure to find one
more idea you had yet to consider.
Each author in this booklet offers tips from her expertise
as a Professional Organizer. The CPO® designation
for some participants indicates Certified Professional
Organizer® .
The well-tested tools and techniques included here will
get you thinking about what works best for you now
and later. You’ll see suggestions about everything from
how to organize your paper, time, and space to your
money and your electronic devices. Find all of that and
more right here in this booklet. Test one thing at a time.
See how it suits you.
Contact these authors. They remain successful,
inspired, and inspiring by contributing to your life. Plus
they are really terrific and interesting people you’ll
want to know and have in your circle. Interview them
in your publication if you are a journalist. They are
professionals, ready to share with those who find it
useful.
Multiple sources and bulleted content are all in one
place right here for your article, radio or television
interview, blog, or website.




Get a price quote if you are shopping for services
or products they provide.
Purchase printed copies of this booklet from
any of the authors or the publisher to use as a
customized promotional tool for marketing your
business.
Talk with us about licensing the downloadable
version for other promotional applications
like social media and on your website. The
possibilities are truly endless.
Published by:
Paulette Ensign, CEO and Chief Visionary
Tips Products International
13146 Kellam Court, Suite 133
San Diego, CA 92130
858-481-0890
[email protected]
www.tipsbooklets.com
© 2011, TPI – All Rights Reserved

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ORGANIZE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

FLEXING WITH LIFE

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Be flexible. Organization creates a calming environment when practiced with flexibility. You may be running a business from
a recreational vehicle (RV) as a full-time
mobile traveler. That’s often 200 – 400
square feet for living and working.
Stop, pause, and think about impacts if
daily ”organized” routines must change.
This can be due to a new baby, an aging
and ill parent, or a job change. Any of
these can and will influence your small
business.
Drop any unnecessary practices. You
think, “I just got into the habit of doing X.”
Doing X does not fit now. Drop the routine
and re-create it later.
Roll with your life. You are unlikely to
handle challenges perfectly. That is not
the point. You probably learned new skills
or met someone and formed a friendship
for life. The circumstances could have
stretched your patience. You can now
mentor others based on what you learned.
Embrace life’s challenges. Change your
perspective to enrich your life and the life
of those around you.

Georgia Day is President of Kamama LLC, a
management and lifestyle consultancy. Living
and working across America in an RV with her
husband and Irish Wolfhound, Patrick for nine
years, they now live in Austin, Texas.
Georgia Day
Kamama LLC
5007 Timothy Circle
Austin TX 78734
512-745-1413
[email protected]
www.kamama.net

70 Tips from a Collection of Experts

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eFFECTIVE EFFICIENCY

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Prioritize and Communicate. Prioritize
what needs to be done and by whom.
Clearly communicate priorities verbally,
and in writing through an e-mail or memo.
Remember to work on high priority items
first and optimize your time by not letting
tasks go unattended.
Get rid of those stacks. Out of Sight
Does Not Mean Out of Mind! Store papers
in an action file and create a corresponding task on your calendar. Pull out only
what’s needed as needed. No more
searching for buried papers and neglecting
important items.
Define and redefine roles. Clearly define
roles and eliminate duplication of efforts
by continuously reviewing everyone’s
responsibilities and grouping like tasks
together. Don’t forget to include those
overlooked tasks.
Cross-train. Cross-training allows the
flexibility for other staff members to pitch
in, eliminates down time for staff, and
ensures work gets completed regardless
of circumstances.
Document, document, document. Make
sure every procedure is documented. This
provides the opportunity to understand
how things are done, identify gaps and
inefficiencies, and assist with training.

Management & Organization Solutions, Inc.
looks at business practices and systems with
a fresh perspective allowing for the creation of
individualized solutions to achieve a new level
of efficiency and productivity.
Dara Fiss
Management & Organization Solutions, Inc.
PO Box 280778
Northridge, CA 91328
818-438-6886
[email protected]
www.mosoinc.com

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ORGANIZE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

effective results

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Own your time. Choose only three tasks
at a time to focus on. Less is more. Make
calendar appointments with yourself to
block out work time.
Manage your team. Every business has
a team no matter what their size. Ask for
help and think virtually. Create a written
job function list for each team member so
they do what you want.
Read your numbers. Your accounting
software is chock full of useful insights.
Make time to learn and read your financial
reports.
Use technology tools strategically. Be
clear what tools you already have. Stop
buying new tools without a solid reason.
Determine three crucial functions to learn
in each tool and make the time to practice.
Think through the process™. Step back
and map out your processes. Document
key functions in an Operations Manual to
minimize errors and frustration.

Don’t let your business run you! Take back
control with these essential strategies.
CenterForProductivity.com is an online think
tank and training resource for small business
owners who want to be more effective at work
and still have a life. Visit our website to get
a free report on more ways to be organized.
We’re your source to…Work Simply, Be Effective and Live Well.
Debbie Gilster, CPO®
Center for Productivity
949-389-0440 (Pacific Time)
[email protected]
www.CenterForProductivity.com

70 Tips from a Collection of Experts

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streamline YOUR business

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Separate your professional life from
your personal life. Separate phone lines,
e-mails, filing systems, credit cards, and
bank accounts show that you mean business.
Document what you do, when you do
it, and how you do it. Create a business
roadmap of operating standards, policies,
and procedures. Whether business policies, job descriptions, how-to procedures,
or timelines for specific tasks, document
everything to help your business run
smoothly.
Break down your “To Do” lists (paper
and electronic) by project or task. Divide
projects into small sequential steps, with
time limits, so that you are focused and
less overwhelmed.
Create a “Not To Do” list. Know your limitations and determine what you realistically can’t do, don’t want to do, or shouldn’t
do. Hire employees or use sub-contractors
to do those tasks.
Manage your interruptions, and change
when and how you deal with them. Track
them, and then develop guidelines for who
or what can interrupt you and when.

Susie Hayman, founder of In Your Business, is
an efficiency expert who works with small businesses, retailers, and nonprofits to develop
systems and processes to streamline their operations and successfully manage their people,
processes, and time. Once we get “In Your
Business,” you’ll get more out of your business!
Susie Hayman
In Your Business
Richmond, VA
804-360-8337
[email protected]
www.inyourbizness.com

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ORGANIZE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

think financially viable

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Think Time. Because you wear multiple
hats, perform a master weekly time schedule then analyze the amount of time spent
on every aspect of your business–client
work, administrative, marketing, networking… and anything else.
Think Money. An accurate accounting of
expenses is important in calculating true
cost. You can guess, but charging too
much or too little is neither profitable nor
beneficial.
Think Salary. The most challenging steps
in determining how much to charge is
assessing personal needs. What salary
do you require to keep your household
budget afloat?
Think Profit Margin. Profit is that amount
of money left after paying your salary and
all expenses. This buffer is earmarked for
reinvest into the business for growth and
development of new ideas.
Think Value. The word “value” is meaningless unless expressed in financial terms.
State customer value (benefit) with a corresponding figure in dollars and cents.

Successful small business owners have an
organized financial foundation that keeps the
business viable. Judith Ann Kirk, author of Setting Your Fees, provides the reader with an arsenal of information to determine an equitable
fee structure. Whatever price you eventually
calculate, you will be confident that you are
worth it. Confidence attracts customers.
Judith Ann Kirk
Professional Organizer/Personal Coach
Organizing Resources
PO Box 7080
Plainville, CT 06062
860-747-8962
[email protected]
www.SettingFees.com

70 Tips from a Collection of Experts

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managE Papers effortlessly

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Separate the three major types of papers
into their own areas: Quick Action, Longer Term Projects and Reference. Never
mix them.
Choose a system to handle Action items
and use it daily. You can go electronic with
Outlook® or a smartphone. If you prefer
low tech, use handwritten lists or a paper
tickler file. Check the Action system daily
and plan each day.
Keep Project papers in desktop file
holders. Vertical storage makes for easy
visibility. Keep them close by for easy
access. File Project papers immediately.
When it’s time to work on the project,
everything is handy.
Categorize Reference files into major
groups, e.g., Business Operations, Financial, Clients, Marketing, etc. Alphabetize
the files within each major group for easy
filing and retrieval.
Label all folders for paper files, computer
documents, and email messages in a consistent manner. Assign the same category
and sub-category names for similar types
of documents.

Susan Kousek, CPO®, helps small business
owners organize their reference and project
files for easy filing and retrieval. She teaches
people how to stay organized by implementing a system to handle their Action and Project
items. In addition to hands-on organizing services, Susan offers workshops and teleseminars on organizing and time management.
Susan Kousek, CPO®
Balanced Spaces®, LLC
Reston, VA
703-742-9179
[email protected]
www.BalancedSpaces.com

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ORGANIZE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

File for life

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Start with the oldest files first. Purge old
to new. Decluttering your desktop first
means there is no file space to put the
needed items.
Decide to decide. Clutter is nothing more
than unmade decisions. If you’re not decisive, work with someone who is.
Know where to put it. When you are deciding where to put something, especially papers, the question you should ask yourself
is NOT “where do I put it” BUT “where will
I find it?”
Create a file index. On paper, list what is in
each drawer. Label the drawers so that the
index corresponds to the list. Others can
easily access your files in your absence.
Be ready to file! Place 25-50 hanging files
in an empty drawer. In each hanging file,
place a manila folder, a hanging file plastic
tab, and a paper tab insert. Everything you
need is in one convenient location.

Patty Kreamer is a Certified Professional Organizer®, author, speaker, and Certified Organizer Coach who works with people who want
to go home from work on time to spend more
time with their family than their computer. Patty
is the author of But I Might Need It Someday!
and The Power of Simplicity.
Patty Kreamer, CPO®, COC
Kreamer Connect, Inc.
2429 Silver Oak Place
Pittsburgh, PA 15220
412-344-3252
[email protected]
www.ByeByeClutter.com

70 Tips from a Collection of Experts

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EASY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

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Create file structures. These provide a solid foundation for supporting collaboration,
continuity, revenue generating workflows,
and regulatory requirements.
Work backwards. Develop repeatable storage processes by focusing on the desired
results. Imagine staff retrieving data and
backtrack through the steps to get there.
Systematize! Creating systems and automating simple routines creates consistent results and facilitates evaluation of
purpose and efficiency.
Record actions on a task list. Tasks have
actions as well as documentation. Record
actions and store the documentation in its
related folder. Now, anyone can find the
information and the next required action.
This ensures data that is uncluttered and
readily available.
Go electronic. Moving to a paperless
environment allows you to free up office
space, save time through search tools,
and easily access all of your information
remotely.

Joan Kuenhold is the owner of Creative Office
Solutions, a successful consulting and training firm committed to increasing profitability
in businesses by increasing productivity and
efficiency through effective systems and data
management. She specializes in cost savings
for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized
businesses by guiding them through automating and streamlining operations.
Joan Kuenhold, CPO®
Creative Office Solutions, LLC
PO Box 124
Bristol, WI 53104
262-857-4075
[email protected]
www.cosfocus.com

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ORGANIZE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

ALL SYSTEMS GO

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Maintain quality and consistency by
documenting “best practices.” Incorporate them into your company protocols,
systems, and procedures.
Guard your time. Take measures to
protect your “focus time.” Identify yourself
as “unavailable” by displaying a DO NOT
DISTURB sign at the entrance of your
workspace. Co-workers still aren’t getting
the message? Hang a full-length curtain
that you can close when necessary.
Realize that “time is money” when it
comes to bringing employees up to
speed. Accelerate the learning curve by
creating a manual containing a quick reference guide and all operational information.
Use web-based automated payroll systems for simple timesheet entry (with drop
down menus). Gone are the days of costly
data entry. It’s paperless, secure, and
simple.
Run toward (not from) technology. Embrace systems that make your life simpler
and more productive. Try an all- in- one
printer, copier, scanner, fax with email that
works on your wireless network.

Management 180 specializes in small business organization and efficiency. We can organize your business processes allowing you
to achieve greater profitability and less stress.
Our staff can help you understand where your
company is today, where it needs to be tomorrow and how to get there.
Nadine Levy, Principal
Management 180 Consulting
23632 Calabasas Road, Suite 105
Calabasas, CA 91302
818-585-4828
[email protected]
www.Management180.com

70 Tips from a Collection of Experts

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PLANNING WORKS

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Consider how you want it to look. A nod
to “start with the end in mind.” Think about
what you want to accomplish even if your
entire vision is incomplete.
Keep all the pebbles moving forward.
Progress is often made by consistent effort across the board rather than by huge
leaps and bounds.
Realize that “budget” need not be a scary
word. Budgeting is a methodical process
amidst the craziness of running your business or home. It is a guide, a map, a tool.
Better to know where things are off track
than left wondering. You may be doing
better than you think.
Define “enough” for yourself. Identify
your own goals and benchmarks for success rather than concerning yourself with
others’ measure of success. Congratulate
yourself for each small victory along the
way.
Beware the shiny new object. Technology
changes so quickly. The latest gadget or
techno-toy can be oh so tempting. Stay
current and invest with care.

Inside the Box Organizing provides organizing
and productivity consulting to small business,
self-employed, and home office clients.  With
the motto of “Making room for what matters”
in mind, Anne’s goal is to create more productive and less stressful small office/home office
environments.
Anne McCallister
Inside the Box Organizing
18390 Cornell Place
Gladstone, OR 97027
503-421-6465
[email protected]
www.insidetheboxorganizing.com

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ORGANIZE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

a hAPPY WORKPLACE

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Remove clutter. Gather and box-up
into categories all loose items scattered
around. They cause distractions, stress
and guilt. Everything deserves a “home”
with related items.
Arrange furniture and equipment. Feng
Shui teaches that desks should face the
main door (power position) for concentration and control. An efficient workspace
needs several drawers and shelves for
storage. An ergonomic chair and task
lighting reduce strain. Windows and wall
hangings create an uplifting ambiance.
Identify “Million Dollar Real Estate.” The
valuable space within arm’s reach is for
paperwork, supplies, and equipment used
daily or weekly. Store items accessed less
frequently further away.
Manage to-do’s. File paperwork requiring actions into “Hot Action Files” – To
Attend-Events, To Buy/Order, To Call, To
Pay. This box lives on your desk top for
accessibility. Hanging files separate tasks.
Tabs display actions. This system provides
effectiveness in the completion of your
responsibilities.
Block-off time. For productivity, employ a
calendar. Highlight appointments and driving time, all tasks by urgency and priority,
plus fun-time. Divide large projects into
phases. Work backward from deadlines,
scheduling time to accomplish each stage.

Since 1984, Donna has been a consultant,
coach, trainer, and speaker based in Los Angeles.  Her companies support small businesses,
solopreneurs, and executives with solutions,
techniques, and motivation.
Donna D. McMillan

McMillan & Company Professional Organizing
and Island Organizers
310-391-7392
www.organizer4me.com | www.islandorganizers.com

70 Tips from a Collection of Experts

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SENSIBLE SPACE®

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Keep ‘em apart. Create physically separate files and locations for Clients vs.
Vendors. Creating unique color file folders
for each is also a great way to separate
these two types of records.
Make it easy to find. Clearly label outside
of filing cabinets, cabinets, and storage
units, removing any outdated info.
Post file name lists in a plastic sleeve for
easy reference. Consistency creates order.
Standardize alphabetizing system used
for file titles- for example, disregarding “A”
and “The.”
Standardize titles between systems. Use
same categories/ folder titles for both
paper and computer files.
Make purging fun. Schedule annual
“Clean-up Day” and enlist all your people.
It is a great time to put your Records Destruction Schedule to use. Donate excess
inventory and supplies to charity or toss if
of no use to anyone. Remember to recycle
and dispose of hazardous waste properly.

Ann Negendank, CPO® has been bringing
organization to her customers for more than
20 years. Her expertise has simplified lives of
individuals in private, corporate, government,
and university sectors. Based in Southern California, her team works on a wide range of projects, specializing in helping small businesses
improve their bottom line.
Ann Negendank, CPO® – Owner
Sensible Space® Organizing Services
2201 N. Lakewood Blvd., Suite D680
Long Beach, CA 90815
562-961-1975
[email protected]
www.SensibleSpace.org

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ORGANIZE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

GETTING “E-ORGANIZED”

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Have a good contact management
program to store “e-ssentials” about the
people in your business. Features include:
multi-user and mobile access, linking
tasks/events to contacts, and customization. Categorize and group all customers, leads, vendors, and employees for
targeted communication and marketing
efforts. Collecting information using “eforms” reduces input and errors. Develop
procedures for handling calls and email.
Link results to contacts for instant access
and efficient follow up.
Create an e-filing system that matches
folders and categories in the paper
system. Storing/scanning documents
on a shared (or web-based) computer
eliminates printing hardcopies and storing
multiple copies.
Establish standards for file names. Using
subject or title speeds “finding.” Document
the rules for file naming, storage, and
archiving.
Choose calendars that synchronize with
mobile devices and allow “sharing”
with others. Using categories and colors
instantly and easily identifies events and
tasks.
Protect vital data with automatic backup.
How much is created each day/week?
What is “re-creatable?” Find a reliable
vendor before failure. Document Backup
and Emergency Procedures.

Are computers helping your business to be
organized and efficient? Since 1994, PCTech
Associates has helped small businesses use
computers to become “e-organized” and “e-fficient.” Their favorite clients are ones who want
to throw the computers out the window!
Karen Simon, PCTech Associates
439 Keoniana St #1002
Honolulu, HI 96815
808-943-2053
[email protected]
www.yourpctech.com

70 Tips from a Collection of Experts

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do It Now!

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Begin each day with a plan. Have a daily
to-do list that prioritizes appointments and
activities. Update every morning. If an item
reappears on the list daily, re-evaluate the
item’s importance and your role.
Create an efficient phone system. Be
prepared with notepad or notebook to
write down messages and phone numbers.
NEVER use scraps of paper.
Delegate less essential tasks. Critically
assess your tasks. When a task does
make it on to a critical to-do list, delegate.
This may include filing, scheduling appointments, or scanning business cards.
Be proactive rather than letting a task
linger or become overwhelming.
Optimize your time. Assess the day
and decide when you’re most efficient.
Schedule the most critical and labor intensive projects during that period.
Assess priorities and goals on a monthly
basis. Updating a logo may have been a
goal in February, but March requires a priority of inputting financial information into
QuickBooks. By evaluating on a monthly
basis, you and your business become
more efficient.

Melissa Sorensen encourages her clients
to become more efficient and goal oriented,
which in turn leads her clients to better job satisfaction and higher profits. Each client has
a unique business. Therefore, every strategy
is tailored to that business. Melissa presents
seminars on procrastination as well as time
management.
Melissa Sorensen, CPO®
Insightful Solutions, LLC
703-497-5904 (Eastern Time)
[email protected]
www.insightfulsolutions.org

16

ORGANIZE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

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