Where do I Start…..
Where Do I Start? Turning Vision into Action
Most business owners have a vision of a future state, what it looks like to be a successful venture. For many, knowing where to start can feel overwhelming and obtaining that vision seems just out of reach. Whether you're optimizing operations or setting a transformation plan, starting strong with data is essential. Let’s walk through some simple principles to get you from good to great.
Understand the Current State
Before you can chart a course forward, you need to understand where you stand. Map out workflows, pinpoint inefficiencies, go over your Profit loss statements and establish a clear picture of your organization's reality. This is often a good point to invite in a Lean consultant, such as Lean-bridge. Working with a professional from the beginning can avoid a lot of miss opportunities and misappropriated capital. Many owners don’t like to do this, reality can be a painful thing to look at when you know you aren’t where you should be. The clarity you get when you lay out your current state is the foundation for meaningful change, accepting where you are doesn’t mean this is where you are going to stay.
Gather Real Data
Gut feelings can guide instincts, but data drives decisions. Focus on collecting actionable insights—financial figures, operational metrics, and customer feedback. Only with accurate data can you identify opportunities for improvement and measure success effectively. Remember good data has a source, these are receipts, actual cost vs estimates, hours billed and not “I think”, or “I feel”.
Set Achievable Goals
Balance ambition with feasibility by aligning goals with your team’s capacity and organizational strengths. Clear, measurable objectives keep teams motivated and progress transparent. Any lasting transformation takes time, getting your team onboard with small changes is a huge win. At this waypoint you’re not only charting a path, you are developing the company culture to move forward.
Develop Financial-Driven KPIs
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the compass guiding your businesses journey. Create KPIs rooted in financial impact and weight them according to strategic importance. This ensures every metric supports long-term profitability and growth. I’ve seen many organizations track random KPIs thinking they had a pulse on their business. KPIs are not just about having numbers red or green, you must know them. I mean you really must know them, how much financial weight does each percentage point hold? Would you be surprised to find that a 10% increase in efficiency isn’t worth as much as a 2% increase in quality? You must also weigh the cost of change, some percentage points come free while others cost. You want to invest your capital to make the most meaningful change with the best ROI. This is something I learned through Penn College Wharton School of business, and it redefined my view of KPI`s and operations.
Create a DAMIC-Based Implementation Plan
Leverage the DAMIC framework for structured execution. DAMIC has been around for a long time, tracing its roots back to the PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) cycle developed by statistician Walter Shewhart in the 1930s. W. Edwards Deming later incorporated it in his work with a rebrand in the 1950`s. Suffice it to say there have been lots of improvements and methodologies have come from lean practitioners since the mid 20th century. Even still fully acknowledging that the DAMIC model is not the fanciest tools in our lean toolbox, but it provides a practical place to get started and make meaningful and lasting change.
Define: Outline goals and success criteria.
Analyze: Examine pain points and process gaps.
Measure: Establish benchmarks and collect baseline data.
Improve: Pilot and refine solutions.
Control: Monitor changes and build sustainable processes.
A Call to Action
Change is daunting, but every great transformation begins with a single step. Start by assessing your current state and gathering data, then follow these guiding principles to achieve a sustainable and profitable future.