Relaxing evening. Catching up on various 2nd tier tasks – including the blog. In Singapore for the week and it’s lovely.
Last two weeks I have gone after a large number of new initiatives.
One of the things I noticed when I’m away from the office is that:
A) things don’t get done as fast
B) people don’t step up to the plate as much as I would wish
With things not getting done as fast, it’s understandable – and that one I can take responsibility for. I had for some time messed around with managing the business via SharePoint – take and projects. But honestly, over last months I haven’t had energy to put a system in place to use it to use it create expectation and further to use it as a tool to measure to performace. As we all know, what is not measured doesn’t get done – and so for this, this one is on me. Working now on comprehensive set of SOPs to do what needs to be done.
From what I can see we have a lot of spare capacity in the business but without measurement we just don’t leverage it well enough. So, this WILL change.
I plan to tie project execution and tasks to HR assessments and eventually back to “money in the pocket” for individuals. So far this has been not my focus but now that “I’m back” ( and I mean this energy and focus wise) it’s something that NEEDS to be done.
So, the reason for this is that I have kicked off about 10 new initiatives and picked up the scent on some other 10 that haven’t been done. And I need to make sure they get done regardless if I’m in the office or not. Lesson learned for me.
So let’s talk a out the projects:
Launching affiliate program for jewett segment
New brand for jewelery sites
Kicking up EU sales – especially Germany and France.
New improved checkering for the site
Social strategy
Relaunching myjelwerycove.com and silverdevotion.com
Take ppc back in-house (fire ppc company we hired 3 months ago – lost $20k on that experiment – but like Gerry said – we are experts in this area and me hoping that somebody knows more than we do in this field is foolish)
Financial controls and comprehensive controls.
In Ventures we are moving fast and need just a big of funding now for a few key hires – we are short on sourcing know how and need to bring that in. We are able to move along so far but sourcing is currently our biggest challenge.
On financial side, our book keeping is now done and we have a good accounting structure on how to handle the various international companies. SOPs and reporting (executive reporting) are next.
With the above in place we have been able to to look over last several years and are begin forensic work on finding $400K that we can’t explain where it went. Soon I will have a clearer picture as to EXACTLY transpired. When you ask for financial reporting for years and don’t get it BUT when you do it yourself and you pull it off in 12 months – it makes you wonder.
On personal side, Alexandra is now relocating to Canada. It’s been a heart wrenching moment, and I had hoped that I would not have to see that day. It’s been long time since I shed tears but this was the time when it was very difficult. This means that I will not be part of her daily life as I have been now, and means frequent travel to Canada. I’m told I will get used to it but right now it’s been gut wrenching. But, I guess as Pecce says “to be a man means to suffer” and so this suffering I will have to take on.
With the above context is one of my main reasons to ensure that the companies can run at the fast speed when I may not be in beijing. And so, the companies we build get shaped by our culture, our founders and by cirumstances. In this case, many chance I had made and am making now are to mKe sure continued success with world wide staff (me) diversity.
But meanwhile Alex is still with me in Singapore and so I’m savoring her nearness and her smiles.
Signing off from perfect Singapore