It is important to create a proper structure in your fashion business if you want it to succeed. We've all heard it: "organization is the key to success." It might sound like a cliche but it is true. I've been in the fashion business for a long time and I have coached several fashion entrepreneurs. One of the biggest mistakes I have observed people make when starting out is not creating a proper structure in their business.
You need to know what you want to achieve, and then create a clear path to achieving it. Otherwise, it's just going to be a mess! If you can't get your team on the same page, if you don't know what's going on, or if you're just winging it, then you will run into problems.
But here's the thing. Being organized doesn't have to be hard. All it takes is creating a proper structure for your business and following through on it.
But what exactly is a structure? And why is it so important? Let's dive in.
The word "structure" comes from the Latin word struktura, which means "to build or arrange in an orderly manner." And a structure is exactly that. A process or system of organizing things in an ordered way, so that they can be easily understood or accessed.
Creating a proper structure means putting all of your efforts into making sure that everything is in place for a successful business. This means having a plan for success, hiring the right people to help you out, and making sure those people have everything they need to succeed.
The benefits of creating a proper structure are numerous and include:
- Being able to better manage your team and their workloads
- Being able to make better decisions about where to spend money and how much time should be spent on each project
- Eliminating confusion about what tasks need to be done and when they should be done by
When you make a structure for your business, you're creating an organizational system that helps clarify how things work and how people should interact with each other and the company.
It means having a plan for everything—from how you're going to manage your finances to how you'll handle customer complaints. For example, if you had a structure for sales commissions, you might make it clear who gets paid what, when and why—and how often—as well as what kinds of sales are eligible for commission.
Being organized doesn't have to be that hard. It's about knowing what you want to achieve and then stating the clear paths to achieving them. It can be as simple as documenting the steps involved in handling an order for your product. Or creating a procedural manual for creating a garment so any of your staff can follow the laid-out steps.
Benefits of having a proper structure
So what are some benefits of having a proper structure? Well…
- It is a clear guide for you and your staff (if any) to follow.
- It reduces confusion by making sure everyone understands how things work and what their role is.
- It saves time by making it easier to find information about processes or policies.
- It increases efficiency by ensuring that all employees are operating on the same page.
-You'll be able to delegate tasks more easily and effectively because everyone will know what their responsibilities are and how they fit into the big picture of your work flow.
-Your team will feel empowered and motivated because they'll have clear direction on what's expected from them and how they can help contribute toward reaching company goals.
How to Create a Proper Structure
You may be wondering how to create a proper structure in your fashion business and I hear you. If you are stuck on where or how to begin, do this quick exercise.
- First write down your goals. I wrote extensively about these in my last 2 posts: Start with why and Write down your goals.
- Then create an overall plan for how your business will grow over time. This will help you figure out how much money you need to raise and how many resources you'll need in order to reach your goals.
- Next, break down that overall plan into smaller steps—like which products or services you'll be offering at different stages of your business's growth—and develop timelines so that each step happens at the right time.
- Once you've created this list and action plan, write down everything that needs to happen in order for each item on your list to get done successfully (i.e., who needs to do what by when). Then track their progress.
- If you're a brand new company, once your business has been established for a while (say about two years), consider hiring someone else who, either has the experience running similar businesses or who you can train so they can take over some of those tasks while still allowing some flexibility around where things go next over time.
PS.
If you are completely clueless on how to even begin, then you need to do some research.
- Think about your previous place of work or maybe a big corporation you have visited - say a bank.
- What did you notice? Probably a guard at the door to welcome you and usher you to the right place. A customer services personnel to attend to your enquiry. A form you are meant to complete.
- Ask yourself these questions. Why were all these put in place? The write the steps you went through from getting through the door to leaving. All these are structures you can adopt in your business no matter how tiny your company is.
- Now think carefully... how can you adopt these things you have observed in your business.
Conclusion
A proper structure for your business can mean the difference between success and failure.
When you're starting a new business, it's tempting to just start doing stuff—but you have to think about the long term. You might not be able to see how much time and effort you'll need up front, but you need to be prepared for anything.
How can you create a structure that will help your business succeed? Here are some tips:
1) Get organized. Start by creating a list of all the different things your business needs to do every day. Make sure they're prioritized so that those things that are most important get done first.
2) Create timelines for each task on your list and stick with them! Don't let anything slip through the cracks because then it'll take longer than expected and everything else on your schedule will suffer as well.
3) Don't forget about yourself! Make sure there's time built into this schedule for breaks so that everyone involved stays healthy and happy throughout the day/week/month/year (or however long this project lasts).
If you have any tips, please share them in the comments below. We would love to hear them.
