Staying Consistent in your Business

One of my biggest mistakes when starting my business 5 years ago, was I never planned things out. Starting a business is a HUGE responsibility to take on and a LOT to juggle! Being that I started completely self-taught, I didn’t know about a lot of systems, programs, or other free resources I could have been using at the time! Having systems set in your business is ultimately what can make or break you, especially when it comes to your workflow. Today I am going to share 5 things I do to keep consistency in my business!

1. Honeybook
Honeybook is a resource I use to ultimately make my company paperless! I can keep track of each contract, client, date, conversation, and even make less trips to the bank. I don’t necessarily LOVE that all the bankers know me by name. 😉 It makes me life SO much easier, and gives me more free time to hang out create intentional relationships with friends, family, and fellow creatives! What I love most about Honeybook is that it not only makes my life easier, but my client’s as well! They love how everything is in one place, they get email reminders when payments are due, and I can even customize payment plans for them!

2. Trello
Trello is a sticky note – list maker’s dream. Like Pinterest, you can make different boards for each client! This makes everything easy to navigate through! I use it along with Honeybook to ensure I never skip a beat of my client workflow!

3. Editing Workflow
It is crucial that you have a set editing workflow weather that be presets/actions you have created in Lightroom or Photoshop or even just knowing specific steps you take every single time you edit an image!

4. Expensify + Mint
Let’s talk about the dreaded topic of taxes for a second. Now stick with me because these 2 FREE resources will rock your world! You can enter your receipts, categorize your expenses, track your mileage and more!! Expensify is a simpler version, but I still love it! Mint is for those that want everything listed above AND MORE. I encourage you to check both of them out and see which is a better fir for you!

5. Organization
You must have a workflow for your workflow..what?! What I mean by this is that you should have specific steps in which you do your workflow. Everything from the initial client inquiry to the final sending of their images/products! Keep that desktop organized, your external hard drive organized, and even the way you upload your images!

I hope this post helps you add some consistency to your workflow, and give you more time to GROW your business.

Xoxo,
Tarah