How to Make the Transition from Growing to Scaling a Business with Serena Shoup

When should you make the transition from growing to scaling a business? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan talk to Serena Shoup from Of Course Bookkeeping - they discuss how bookkeepers can transition from growing to scaling a business, eliminate the growing pains, and maximize their chances of getting it right.

• Serena Shoup is the Host of the Ambitious Bookkeeper Podcasts and the Owner of Of Course Bookkeeping. She's on a mission to mentor bookkeepers and accountants so they can leave behind the stress of working their 9 to 5.
• Hannah asks Serena why she decided to start a business midway through a successful corporate career.
• Hannah asks Serena about the time it took growing the business before she felt it was eventually time to scale. Her response is scaling takes time, but there needs to be a good reason for it.
• Serena explains that following a path of careful, calculated growth is smarter than scaling a business you already can't handle.
• Melissa is intrigued by Serena's work-life balance and how her systems make it easier to run a successful company without compromising on time with family.
• Serena describes why scaling a business is more than just acquiring more customers - scaling is all about creating a system to serve more customers with little to no additional resources.
• Serena goes through how impulsive hiring can cause so many problems, especially if you decide to hire a friend just for the sake of it.
• Serena points out that making mistakes during the growth phase of your business is okay, as long as you don't make those mistakes define who you are.
• According to Serena, scaling a business is not something you do once - it's something you'll have to manage throughout the life of your business.
• Melissa and Serena agree that some business owners avoid growth because they don't want to deal with the heartache that comes with running a larger business.
• Hannah and Serena talk about the major mistakes she made during the initial stages of growing her business.
• Serena shares why she believes building relationships is extremely important if you want to scale.
• Melissa asks Serena what she does to ensure her business continues to scale sustainably - Serena explains that building a self-sufficient team and having a careful understanding of your customers can not be overstated.
• Melissa and Serena explore the benefits of treating your employees as your number one client.
• Serena reveals the key to staying motivated in business is allowing yourself space to feel unmotivated - also, remembering your team depends on you makes it easier to get up in the morning.

Mentioned in this episode:

Serena Shoup on LinkedIn

The Ambitious Bookkeeper Podcast

Of Course Bookkeeping - ofcoursebookkeeping.com