Lean Business Consultant Crista Grasso helps Fortune 500 companies get lean in their businesses and is sharing her knowledge with small businesses. Crista is the founder and designer of Criscara Jewelry and has been a business consultant for over 20 years. She’s a master of helping businesses create goals and objectives and tackle them in 90 days. Crista is sharing her tips on how to level up your business, increase your profit and focus on what’s most valuable to your customers and your business. We’re even diving a bit into my business and where I am right now!

Let’s start doing less and making more!

What we’re talking about

• What Does It Mean To Get Lean In Your Business - The 90 Day Lean Out Method
• The 4 Stages of Business
• What Stage of Business Am I In?
• Crista’s Advice For Business Owners

What Does It Mean To Get Lean In Your Business - The 90 Day Lean Out Method

Big businesses and corporations are familiar with what “lean” means but often small business owners don’t understand the concept of doing less to make more. The term “lean” started in the manufacturing space and expanded to software and technology. It’s the action of getting super clear on things that are really valuable and eliminating everything else. 

Crista works with her clients on getting lean through her 90 Day Lean Out Method which is based on context, clarity, commitment and the Kaizen Lean Concept. This concept is based on small, continuous improvements. The first step is to set your vision and not just any vision, but your next level vision. Put yourself in the future of your business, your personal life and that of your customer. Once you have your vision outlined, you must ensure your daily activities match this. 

Crista and I discuss the difference between working in your business versus working on your business. While doing things in your business that have an immediate ROI is important, you need to also focus on investment activities which will have a return in the future. Laying the pipe for the future to pay off!

When it comes to outsourcing, Crista says that business owners don’t outsource soon enough. Business owners wear all the hats for too long instead of focusing on their zone of genius. Your zone of genius is the work that you’re not only passionate about doing but are qualified to do. In addition to outsourcing, you should also create processes for any actions that are repeatable and are working. Build a playbook for your business!

The 4 Stages of Business

Crista explains the four stages a business goes through starting with the startup or emerging stage to growth to scaling and lastly to influence.

The emerging stages is when you are trying all the things, wearing all the hats and simply throwing spaghetti on the wall to see what fits. This is also the hustle mode because you are trying to figure out everything and don’t quite know what you’re doing. The growth stage is where you’ve figured it out, know your target audience and understand what your offers are. There’s a subset of things you’re passionate about, what your customers love, and what’s most profitable. This is when you can start to lean out. 

What Stage Of Business Am I In?

Crista has identified me in the growth stage and ready to tip into the scale stage. This is where she introduces her PPV matrix - Passion, Profit, Value. She says I have an understand of my target market and core offers and am hitting profitability, but I’m now ready for the next steps. I already have processes and systems in place and a team working with me. To master growth and move into scale, you have to nail the PPV matrix. Think about the passion you have for the things you do combined with the profitability and the value your customers get and make sure that is a 10 across the board. 

You want a few core offers that are high value, high passion and high profit. At this point you can discover your conversion rate and figure out how many people you need at each stage. 

Crista’s Advice For Business Owners

Crista’s advice for business owners is to ensure you’re in the right mindset. Too often we hit limiting beliefs and allow them to hold us back. As you reach each new stage, you will also be presented with a new set of roadblocks. Recognize those limiting beliefs.

Get clear on your vision. Do the next level visioning but don’t only think about yourself. Think about your customers and what they want and need and why it’s important to you. Last, break this all down that each of your daily activities match your vision. 

Which stage is your business in? 

LINKS MENTIONED

Lean Out Method

https://www.leanoutmethod.com/

The Lean Out Circle

https://www.leanoutmethod.com/group

The Lean Out Method’s Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/theleanoutmethod/

Criscara Jewelryhttp://www.criscara.com