Productivity and strategy tips to managing your business with a full-time job

Welcome back to another episode of the independent business podcast. And I had another solo episode coming your way because so many of you, whether you’ve been a guest on the show or a listener have asked me, how have I been managing being a full time employee, being a full time podcast host and also managing my business?

So I’m going to be sharing with you just a glimpse into how I manage it, the productivity and strategy tips that I have been implementing, um, just to make sure I don’t get overwhelmed and burnt out. And so if you are somebody right now that is trying to find better ways to manage your time as a business owner, then this episode is definitely for you.

So without further ado, let’s get into the episode. Hey everyone, this is your host Akua Kanadu, and you’re listening to the Independent Business Podcast. More people than ever are working for themselves and building profitable businesses in the process. So on this show, I get to sit down with some of the most influential authors, entrepreneurs, and leaders.

hello

everyone. I am really excited for today’s episode because I am letting you into my world a little bit. So since becoming host of the independent business podcast, my life in business has drastically changed. Not only do I own two to businesses. I’m also now working full time for HoneyBook and I have had many business owners, guests on this show just asked me, Akua, how are you doing it all?

And I’m not going to lie. It is not easy or perfect, and I am still figuring this out, but I just, I’m trying to do different things right now in this season of my life to make sure that I don’t burn myself out. So in this episode, I’m going to be sharing with you the productivity tips and strategies I’m implementing to maintain my businesses and my full time role at HoneyBook.

Really excited for this conversation because I think this will be very helpful for business owners of how to just manage their time very well. Especially, you know, if you are a parent, right, a full time parent or single parent, no matter what your life looks like, these are some really great strategy tips that I’m currently implementing.

So I’m hoping that these are tips that you can implement into your own life, no matter what that looks like. So here we go. Okay, first off, let’s discuss how I even ended up here, first and foremost. So as an independent business owner, I built my personal brand and business as a consultant. So I’m a storytelling strategist and I work with small business owners and different SaaS companies on how to implement storytelling into their content strategy to grow their business.

So this specific business that I do as a storytelling strategist requires a lot of time since most of it is one on one work. One thing I love about storytelling is that magic is truly created when we are together and being innovative and brainstorming amazing ideas. So, like I said, this business has required a lot from me, a lot of one on one work.

And so, and through that, I have been able to build a business that I just love and connecting with amazing people, which includes HoneyBook. And HoneyBook was one of my clients. And So, I was essentially in a contractor role for HoneyBook and doing, you know, social media work, consulting, and also to, as a contractor, I was also working on the independent business podcast in the background, doing research work, questions, storytelling strategies where I, if I wanted to help navigate the conversation for the show, um, Um, that’s what I would essentially do.

So I would purpose, I was intentionally craft questions to really take the conversation a specific direction after, you know, researching about the guest. So that’s what I did in behind the scenes. Well, when the former host of the show, Natalie Frank passed the show to me, things changed drastically.

Incredibly quick. So within three weeks time, I went from being a full time business owner to now a full time employee. And it was a lot of change in a short amount of time. And in that time I realized very quickly that if I wanted to succeed in my role as host of the show and also continue to have a thriving business, I was going to have to make some major adjustments and fast, but first I had to really like come to the realization of a few things.

So number one, I had to quickly accept that I just can’t do it all. And number two, that growth was going to look a lot differently now. and it was going to be a lot slower than I expected. And that was a little bit of a tough one for me. And then three, I just really had to redefine what success looks like for me in this season.

And I’m not going to act like these realizations came to me very smoothly. It didn’t. Like I said, there was a lot of change that happened in such a short amount of time. And so When I just kept falling and falling, trying to figure out how to manage my time. These were all lessons that I just learned within that journey.

Cause now it’s been about, I think about like, it’s been about eight months now since I’ve been host. So these have all have come to me within this eight months time. So throughout this whole process, these are the realizations that I had. And so again, like even that last one of just really having to redefine what success truly looks like for me in this season.

And so it was really hard for me to accept that things were going to look a lot different. And though I felt very blessed and excited with this opportunity, like I love being host of the show. I’m not going to lie. I also had to grieve and it wasn’t a bad thing. My life just looked very different than what I originally thought it was going to.

And so I took that time to really honor myself and grieve what was in order to move forward towards what’s new. Like I knew that this. Being the host of the show and everything was a huge opportunity and amazing opportunity to where I get to, you know, just lean more into my storytelling gifts and the things that I love, but it was totally different than what I thought how my year was going to go.

So I definitely had to spend some time just letting go of what was to make room for what was new. And so. As I was interviewing guests, my conversation with Shay Cochran, which I will absolutely link her episode in the show notes because it was just so impactful for me. And it kind of was that light bulb moment for me where it just really changed my perspective and my mindset.

So I really want to encourage any business owner listening, like I said, go back to that episode because she was able to grow multiple six figure businesses working 16 hours a week. That conversation was just so uplifting and so helpful because it reminded me that whatever I want to accomplish in my business is very possible.

I just need to be more strategic with how I’m spending my time. So when I heard Shay say, spend your time on revenue generating activities, that was it for me. That was it. And now I have structured my business to do just that. Like that was that light bulb moment for me because I even had less than 16 hours a week to grow my business since I have two.

So each business I got less than 16 hours. So after that episode, I had such a great conversation with her and she was just so encouraging and was just telling me that it’s still possible. So the first thing that I did was I just had to really ask myself, which cause she shares in the episode, like to really ask yourself, like what do you need to do in order to generate revenue in your business?

And that is your key focus. And everything else you can either automate it or delegate it. So what I did was I made a list right and I separated into those three categories just to kind of you know Because you your head gets so scattered and you know I just wanted to really just have this dedicated structured time to really figure this out So I separated into three categories money making activities Um, for sure.

Like things I need to do in order to make sure that cash flow is coming in, things that I can automate in my business and then things that I can delegate. Right. So currently right now I’m in the season of building my first course. So all of that time that I’m doing right now has to dedicate to building that.

So what are some things that I had delegated? Number one, my blog posts. So I’ve hired somebody to write all of my blogs and pinning stuff on Pinterest for me just to really start garnering that website traffic, right? That’s an example of something that I can delegate that it’s not necessarily going to make me money right here, right now.

Right. And then also to what were some things that I could automate. So definitely went back and into my honey book account and really just updated some of my workflows that just wouldn’t require so much of me. And even to just like that scheduler that we now have um that scheduling feature has been so helpful for me The ai email composer as well has been so helpful for me So when I do have to go into my honey book It’s taking me like a minute or less to go in and you know, uh, send a quick email or whatever that does require me So that has been really really helpful for me and then money making activities Like I said right now I’m not seeing generating revenue right now, but however, my course is something that’s very valuable to me.

That’s going to be able to help me build a sustainable business, leaning into more passive income. So that’s just how I have distributed my business tasks and prioritize them. Right. So then I would do like, okay, like what’s the most important thing that I have to get done right now? And I would number it like, okay, one, two, three, and one was the most important.

So then what I had learned was then from there, that preparation is key. So I really had to be intentional with everything Every minute of my day had to be accounted for. Now, obviously life happens, so you just have to go with the flow. So I just want to say that I wasn’t like so rigid. It was just really great to have a structure and a plan so that I wouldn’t wake up every single day, feeling very overwhelmed with the tasks that I had to do.

Right. So what I would do was it’s like, okay, so all the tasks that I already had prioritized, like one, two, three, right. Then I would go in and like, okay, like what specific tasks do I need to get done this week from this big list of things that I have already. Like laid out. So from there I would then assign my days themes, right?

Because what I learned was very quickly before I finally had this structure down, was that when I kept changing tasks, like one right after the other changing, like I would one minute be, you know, especially when I was out, like before I transitioned, even in honey, but I was working on two teams. I would, you know, first be doing podcast work and then I would instantly switched into community work.

And then when I was done working for the day, then I instantly switched Switch between tasks. In my business, I was less productive that way. It was really difficult for me to have to, when I was so in the zone for one task on one topic, to have to switch to a whole nother thing and like reacclimate yourself and you know, just get back into that zone.

It really was not a good use of my time. So now I actually will have theme days, right? So what I do now is, okay, like I have all these tasks I need to get done for this week, and so. Mondays will be like my CEO days. That’s where I’m getting, you know, readjusted with like, that’s where I’m like addressing my finances, right?

Assigning content to care the person who writes my blog posts, things like that. That’s on my Mondays. And so it’s been a lot easier for me just having that structure. So when I’m done with my nine to five, I have that time set aside to. do that on Mondays, right? And so that’s what it looks like. And then Tuesdays, for example, and I also even do this as my full time role, like Tuesdays are my LinkedIn days now for a honey book when I’m working because I oversee the LinkedIn platform now.

So that’ll be my day where I’m planning content, researching all of that. That’s just strictly focused on LinkedIn and same thing. And on a Tuesday day, that’s where I’m also focusing on content for my business, right? So that’s also to like where I am focusing my time. So that is how I do it essentially.

throughout both. And I have grace myself. There’s just no way I can dedicate another eight hours to my business. So it’s like an hour or two, I’m doing it an hour or two increments. And there are some days that I’m tired and I honor that. And I just don’t do anything in my business that day. And that’s okay too.

Right? Like I’m always like a cool, if you can even do five minutes or even one minute of something on your business, it’s like, Like I do that and that’s okay. So sometimes I won’t even do the full two hours, right? I’m just honoring myself in the season of this is what my life looks like. And this is what it is.

So that’s how I mainly keep my business running. Akua Kanade, right? That’s my personal brand. Now, in terms of Aman Akua, that’s a whole different ballgame. Cause that’s a product based business. And so the way that now that we had to come to that decision is number one, my brother has joined the team, which has been amazing to come and help me.

And my mom, since obviously my time is, not, I don’t have as much time anymore and neither does my mother. So my brother has come in and help full time, which has been amazing. But also to, we made the decision to make a Ma and a Kua right now, just a seasonal business. So we will come out during the holidays because especially with all the preparation and what we learned is that most of our income came from the holidays anyways.

So now we are going to be a seasonal business where we mainly will be focusing marketing and just, you know, coming out big during the holiday season. And so, and that’s okay. You know, maybe in the future it can definitely, you know, where we can have it more full time, where we can hire more people, whatever.

But currently in the season of my life, I’m working with what I have right now. And that’s what I currently have. So a Monaco will be a seasonal business. So currently right now we are starting this season. month to start preparing for Christmas. And my brother who’s amazing, is the one that’s really leading that and holding me accountable with the tasks that like he knows that I have the capacity to do.

And so that has been really helpful, but I also, you probably are also thinking to like, well, a cool, like, how are you staying on track with like your mental health and stuff like that. And that’s something I also schedule into my day, definitely making sure to take breaks, definitely making sure to eat. I also now have started meal prepping and I do not like cooking.

I’m going to be real with you. I just found out this hack on tick tock that if you literally go to whole foods and you can just buy these big, like family size meals that are freshly made. And I bought two of those and that’s what now I have been doing to meal prep currently. And I will pack all of that food on Sunday and I’m good to go.

Now I will eventually work up to eating, but I haven’t found meals yet that I really enjoy. I’m being transparent here. So that’s what I’m working with right now in my season, right? Just to make sure that I’m eating. And then also too, I’m also scheduling in my workouts. And so I, like I said, I’m making sure that every single time of my day is accounted for as best as I can.

And like I said, things happen in life. That’s totally fine. I don’t ever let it throw me off. I just pivot. So it’s like, okay, if I can’t get a workout in today, that’s okay. I’m going to make sure I get it in tomorrow. Right? Like, because you still matter. Like, I’m not going to have my mental health go down the drain, right?

Because if I can’t be my best self, then I can’t host, I can’t be the best business owner that I can be. So. I’m still honoring myself. Like this weekend, I worked on my business, maybe one hour on Saturday and Sunday. And then what did I go do? I went to go play pickleball on Saturday. And then on Sunday, I went to go see my favorite poet.

He was in town. So, you know, I’m still definitely figuring it out. But I feel a lot better now and a lot healthier now that I have really structured. My days and my times this way, even scheduling in my breaks, my meal times, my workouts, all those different types of things. I am finding myself a lot happier, more enjoying my work and just feeling like I’m creating that space to be more innovative and stuff like that.

So that is how I’m currently manage my time. So, as hosts, as a full time employee and also to running two businesses, it’s definitely not perfect. Like I said, I’m working with what I have and I, every day I am doing the best that I can and that is more than enough. So I just want to give that encouragement to you too, that you are doing the best that you can and you’re more than enough.

So thank you all so much for tuning in and until next time. That ends our episode of the Independent Business Podcast. Everything we’ve discussed today can be found at podcast. honeybook. com. Head to our website to access for show notes, relevant links, and all of the resources that you need to level up.

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