Hey I'm Liz, a website designer turned OBM (aka Online Business Manager). I manage the people, processes, and projects for your business. There’s nothing I loves more than helping creative entrepreneurs build a business that works for them, not the other way around. I creates simple, sustainable systems that give you the freedom to grow your business while bringing consistency, organization, and fun to the things that weigh you down. Even if you're not a "systems person."
🏝️ Revenue, Time Off, And Project Timelines
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Happy Sunday, Reader! I’m coming in hot with some planning for you to do today. Admittedly, I love a good Sunday planning session. So, my question for you today is — have you planned out your schedule for the year yet? I don’t mean every detail, but the big things that are going to actually take you away from work. I’m talking about weddings, vacations, summer break for your kids, anything like that. Planning it now is how you’ll be able to set yourself up for the *right* amount of projects so you’re not checking your inbox while you're at the cutest Airbnb in the mountains getting ready to go on an epic hike. I recently just did this process with a client of mine, and it gave us so much clarity for the year. Now here’s what we know about her 2024 calendar: 1. Time off for vacations + holidays: We marked down all vacations, personal time, holidays, weddings, and other commitments planned, and we now have a clear understanding of her availability throughout the year. This helps us create a plan now, and avoid last-minute disruptions to our workflows and the feeling of being overwhelmed + rushed. PS. We literally put these dates in the studio calendar and marked them as busy when we did this. That way calls couldn't get booked and if we had a project happening during that time we knew to notify our client well in advance so we could adjust the timeline. Not sure if it's totally happening? Put it as free, leaving it as a visual reminder of what you think or want to be happening during then. 2. Forecasting project volume: By knowing how many working days are coming up throughout the year, we can now determine how many projects she can realistically take each quarter. This means no more overextending and impossible deadlines, giving a double win — one for her and one for her clients! 3. Determining start/end dates and timeline adjustments: By mapping out potential start and end dates for projects, we can easily identify any potential conflicts or bottlenecks in her schedule. This helps us to make necessary adjustments to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget, even in the face of unexpected delays. 4. Set realistic revenue goals: By integrating our scheduling efforts with her financial objectives, we gain a holistic view of her business and revenue targets. This allows us to make informed decisions about which projects to take on and when maximizing our profitability and minimizing risk. Now, here’s where it gets fun. We also created two different schedules — one with a three-week start and another with a four-week start. This allowed us play with how often we wanted to book new projects based on our team's capacity and any studio closures. Overall this is helping us stagger our projects more effectively, reducing overlap and avoiding overloading our team and contractors. And the best part? You CAN change the calendar! Another family event pops up? Work it in. A vacation gets canceled? Adjust the schedule.
Nothing is hard and fast in your business, but knowing will help you be better prepared in terms of timelines, client workload, and revenue (because information is power). I’m always on board for proactive vs. reactive planning. Call it my OBM brain. Now, grab your calendar and get planning! Liz
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Liz of Lux & Vita
Hey I'm Liz, a website designer turned OBM (aka Online Business Manager). I manage the people, processes, and projects for your business. There’s nothing I loves more than helping creative entrepreneurs build a business that works for them, not the other way around. I creates simple, sustainable systems that give you the freedom to grow your business while bringing consistency, organization, and fun to the things that weigh you down. Even if you're not a "systems person."
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