The Business of Wearing (Figurative) Caps

Ever read Esphyr Slobodkina’s children’s classic Caps for Sale?

A brief synopsis goes like this:

A peddler is trying to sell 17 caps—all of which he is wearing on his head. As he is making his sales pitch, he comes across some crazy monkeys who end up in control of his caps. The peddler tries throughout the story to figure out how to gain back control of his 17 caps. You see, his caps are his lifeline, his income, his means of success.

In business, we all wear many caps—some we look really stylin’ in and others we should have left packed up in our box of 80’s gear. Nonetheless, it’s important to understand how to maintain control of all our caps.

Whether you need to manage payroll, expenses, client accounts, meetings, marketing, or everything in between, start with the following to help maintain cap control and initiate business success:

Determine goals

First, you need to figure out just how many caps you’re wearing. Determine what your goals are in relation to your tasks at hand. Get a handle on your business plan at the beginning of each year and revisit your plan at least once a quarter. Your plan should include tasks with measurable results. These tasks are your caps—whether you choose to wear them all yourself or hand them off to someone else, it’s your responsibility to keep them in tact and to know where they are at all times. 

Designate time

As business owners, we’re easily sidetracked by client projects, customers and daily business needs. To be truly successful (and maintain your sanity) you must take time for yourself and your business (minus your customers and daily grind). Set a goal to do at least one thing a week that ensures you are working on your business instead of in your business. A great book that speaks more to this point is The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber. Make it your goal to include at least one item on your weekly to-do list that focuses on business growth and development.

Delegate tasks

Understand your strengths and weaknesses. If you’re great at sales but staff schedules stress you out, take on the sales-related tasks and delegate staffing to someone else. If you’re in need of a catchy advertising campaign but haven’t the first clue how to get started, consider hiring an outside firm or bringing in a consultant to assess your needs. Know when you look good in your caps and when they’d be better suited for someone else to pull them off.

In other words, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

And if you’re wondering what became of the peddler, he did finally figure out how to gain control of his caps. It took a bit of trial and error, but in the end, he was a success.

So how about you? Where have you found success juggling the many business caps you wear?

Melissa Harrison is principal and creative director at Allée, a communications consulting firm. She’s no stranger to sporting multiple caps, some of which include business owner, Board member, volunteer, wife and mother of four. Catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook or email.