How to Transition from Daily Grind to Long-Term Growth
Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in the daily grind of running your business with no time to focus on the bigger picture? When you first started, you probably wore every hat—handling sales, admin, customer service, and operations—only to find yourself unable to break free from the cycle.
Key Takeaways
Before we dive into Kerrie’s story, here are some key takeaways on how to transition from daily business grind to long-term growth:
- Let go. Start by delegating tasks you dislike and build trust in your team.
- Fractional management can help. You don’t always need a full-time executive. Part-time expertise can be just as powerful.
- Processes and systems are your foundation. Streamlined, repeatable workflows will prevent inefficiencies and support scalability.
- Think of your business as an investment. Just like you wouldn’t manage a rental property alone, you don’t have to run everything yourself.
Meet Kerrie McGilvray
Meet Kerrie McGilvray, the mastermind behind The Admin Superheroes. With over a decade of experience in operations management, Kerrie’s been through the corporate grind and came out the other side determined to do things differently.
She’s a natural problem-solver with a brain that works like Jarvis from Iron Man (yes, really). Kerrie does not fit into the traditional corporate box. She’s always been someone who sees things differently, which is why she built a business that embraces creativity, flexibility, and efficiency.
ADHD might make her think outside the box, but it’s also her superpower: Kerrie can build processes and systems piece by piece in her mind, identifying every gap, bottleneck, and inefficiency. She helps entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of scaling a business, guiding them from feeling overworked and overwhelmed to running a self-sustaining, efficient operation.
The Common Roadblocks to Growth
According to Kerrie, getting trapped in day-to-day business operations is extremely common, especially for businesses earning between half a million to a million dollars in revenue. “At the start, owners do everything themselves,” Kerrie explains.
“As they grow, they hire ‘doers’, but managing those employees takes up so much time that they still can’t step away.” This bottleneck often prevents owners from implementing an effective business scaling strategy.Many business owners also struggle with outdated processes, unnecessary expenses, and a lack of financial visibility.
Struggling with inefficiencies and hidden costs? Take control with smarter solutions.
Kerrie has seen businesses with subscriptions from years ago that still quietly drain resources. “They have no mental or physical space to optimise their business,” she says. “And when it comes to hiring someone to help, the idea of trusting others with their ‘baby’ is terrifying.”
The Importance of Letting Go
One of the biggest barriers to scaling your business is your mindset. Many feel that no one can do the job as well as they can, leading to perfectionism and reluctance to delegate. Kerrie suggests starting small: “Owners often let go of the tasks they dislike first. Once they see those being handled well, they feel more comfortable delegating further.”
A key principle to embrace is the 80/20 rule: If 80% of the work can be done by others, business owners can focus on the 20% that truly requires their expertise. Kerrie notes that the process of letting go requires a mix of structured delegation and trust-building, which is an essential step in any business scaling strategy.
Fractional Management: A Smarter Approach to Growth
One innovative approach Kerrie champions is fractional management, a concept that allows businesses to access high-level management expertise without hiring full-time executives.
“Many small and medium businesses think they need a full-time operations manager, but in reality, they might only need 10 hours a week,” she explains. “That’s where fractional management comes in. You get the expertise you need without overcommitting resources.”
This approach has gained traction in recent years, with roles like fractional CFOs, CMOs, and operations managers helping business owners focus on strategy instead of daily firefighting. When implemented correctly, fractional management can be a game-changer in how to scale a business efficiently and cost-effectively.
Processes and Systems: The Backbone of Scalability
A strong business scaling strategy relies on robust processes and integrated systems. “If you want to scale, you need repeatable, efficient processes,” Kerrie says. “They should be like a bible for your business—constantly reviewed and updated to maintain consistency and quality.”
Beyond processes, integrating IT systems is important. Many businesses start with basic tools but outgrow them as they scale. “Sometimes you need to upgrade,” Kerrie advises. “Look at integrations. Your accounting software should talk to your invoicing system, and your CRM should connect with your marketing tools. Streamlining systems prevents inefficiencies and wasted time.”
Is your tech holding you back? If your systems aren’t working together, you’re losing time and efficiency. It’s time to integrate smarter.
Business as an Investment, Not Just a Job
One of Kerrie’s biggest mindset shifts for business owners is seeing their company as an investment rather than just a job. “If you bought an investment property, you wouldn’t try to manage it yourself. You’d hire a property manager,” she says. “It’s the same with a business. Eventually, you need to step back and let professionals handle operations while you collect the profits.”
This shift in perspective helps business owners break free from the trap of working in the business rather than on it. Scaling a business isn’t just about hiring more people; it’s about creating a structure where the business can operate and grow without being entirely dependent on the owner’s daily involvement.
The Path to Business Freedom
Scaling your business doesn’t mean working harder. It means working smarter.
By implementing a solid business scaling strategy, embracing delegation, and integrating better systems, you can finally step back and enjoy the freedom you originally set out to achieve. With the right mindset and approach, you can transition from being overworked to truly owning a thriving, sustainable business.
If you’re looking for an insightful read on this topic, Kerrie highly recommends:
- Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
- Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start scaling your business effectively, Kerrie McGilvray and The Admin Superheroes can help you streamline operations and free up your time.
