3 Steps To Identify Solutions For Your Small Business Problems

Being a business owner can be hard.

Especially when you keep hitting problem after problem after problem.

And as many books as there are out there for entrepreneurs, are we really going to read them all?

Usually when we come across a problem in our business, our first instinct is to figure out how to solve it. Now, whether we can or not is usually on a case by case basis, but I’d like to help you improve the odds that you can solve any small busines sproblems you face.

Here are 3 Steps to Identify Solutions For Your Small Business Problems!

Download the FREE Workbook: 3 Steps To Identifying Solutions For Your Small Business Problems!

Identify The Problem

The first step towards solving a problem is making sure you understand the problem.

This step is very important because we can easily waste time trying to put metaphorical band aids on little problems that are really just red flags that lead us back to a much bigger problem.

You can learn to understand the root problem by asking questions:

• When did this problem start?
• Were there other problems that have begun lately?
• Was there some change that happened around that time that could of triggered it?
• What part(s) of my business are affected most by the problems?

Keep asking yourself questions until you uncover where all of your red flags converge into one root problem. (If you end up being stuck at more than one root problem, it is okay. You can find solutions for them all or may find that one solution solves them all!)

Once you’ve identified the root problem that you are dealing with, you can move on to Step 2 and begin brainstorming potential solutions

Brainstorm Possible Solutions

Brainstorming is best done with others, especially others who are eager to bring feedback and value to the brainstorming session, but even if you don’t have someone like that, speaking your ideas out loud and recording or writing them down can give you the opportunity to hear how they sound, turn them over, and improve on them, if necessary.

But don’t kid yourself. Brainstorming is not running off to implement the first idea that you think of. It is throwing as many ideas down as you can possibly come up with and then figuring out which idea is the best one to go with.

There are a few ways you can narrow them down, such as by process of elimination, a cost/benefit matrix, or some other way. But don’t throw any away just yet!

After determining what seems to be the most viable solution to your problem, it is time to validate it!

Validate Your Solution

I know, I know! You’ve already spent a lot of time identifying your problem and then a lot more time brainstorming solutions.

But I also know that what you don’t want to do is go ahead and start building out the solution you chose and realizing that it does not actually solve your problem or that it creates an even bigger problem.

So, let’s just make sure that your solution is a solution, and not just the funnest idea tossed up in the brainstorming session.

Some things that you want to look for when validating your proposed solution are:

• Make sure that it solves the root problem, or will lead toward solving the root problem after being implemented
• That the solution also addresses some, if not all, of those red flags that alerted you to the problem in the first place
• That the benefits of applying the solution outweigh the costs of applying the solution (time, money, resources, mental health)

You may have to back up some if your proposed solution does not hit the mark, but that is okay! Go back to the brainstorming board and look over what was left behind, possibly even adding some new ideas!

But what if your proposed most viable solution hits all (or a satisfactory amount) of the marks?

Success!!!!!

If that’s the case, you’ve got a solution to implement!!!

Now, taking on the project of implementing your solution is not going to be easy, either, and if you find yourself getting overwhelmed, feel free to join my Facebook Group for some moral support!

You can also hire me for some hands-on support as well!

Now that you know how to identify your problems, brainstorm possible solutions, and validate the most viable ones, you are ready to overcome each and every problem that being a small business owner throws your way!