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Each week we will explore topics in Business and Management, that you can apply to your own business as a maker. Brought to you by George Supply Company
GeorgeSupplyCo.com
Welcome to the Business for Makers Podcast. /
Brought to you by George Supply Company. //
Each episode, / we explore topics you need to know to grow your maker hobby / to a maker business and brand. //
I’m Scott Chervitz. /
This week: / MY SIMPLE SYSTEM FOR TRACKING MULTIPLE TODO LISTS SIMULTANEOUSLY //
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[short musical interlude]
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[music fades out]
Let’s begin with the Business for Makers News Desk
As always, we start with lumber pricing
Tradingeconomics.com reports Lumber futures slipped from $530 to $500 per 1000 board feet, Decreased supply from Canada due to the wild fires, and decreased production from the UK, have served to bolster lumber pricing, but Mortgage rates are at the highest level since 2002, creating concerns about weakening demand in the housing market worldwide
In SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS
Techcrunch is reporting that Instagram is internally testing the ability to create Reels up to 10 minutes long
Techcrunch says the social media giant is not testing the capability externally. By increasing the time limit on Reels from three minutes to 10, Instagram would be aligning its short-form video product with TikTok, which expanded its maximum video length to 10 minutes back in February 2022. The change would also put Reels in competition with YouTube.
Socialmediatoday.com reports Threads Launched Initial Test of Keyword Search
Meta’s Threads app is adding another key feature, with the Threads team to begin testing keyword search with users in Australia and New Zealand from this week.
In addition, Threads launched its desktop version, allowing users to post from their computer.
And finally, TikTok Shop in-platform ecommerce rolls out in US
TikTok has officially entered the social commerce race, becoming the latest platform to experiment with in-app shopping with the US release of their ecommerce offering, TikTok Shop.
TikTok aims to achieve $20 billion in sales by the end of the year, but some users are already accusing the social platform of manipulating user feeds to surface videos featuring products for sale using the Shop feature.
Of course with sales growth, comes growing pains. Brands selling on TikTok Shop, who sell just specifically on TikTok, are utilizing the TikTok fulfillment system effectively, but brands using their own fulfillment or POS system have reported several integration issues, including an inability to track deliveries, or get sales reporting.
Despite any operational issues, there are plenty of success stories. Most recently, Bad Addiction’s pickle sweatshirt has sold over 32,400 times, according to TikTok Shop. At $44 each, that comes to $1,425,600. Even subtracting TikTok’s reported 1.8% to 5% commission fee, labor, shipping and other costs, that’s an amazing profit for one design.
We’ll be back after this message
Ca glue spot
We’re back,
In the realm of creators and makers, the ability to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously is a hallmark skill. Whether it's managing projects in different stages of completion, organizing materials for future endeavors, or envisioning the next big creation, multitasking becomes a way of life. However, this exhilarating dance of productivity can quickly lead to chaos if not managed properly. The mind races in all directions, contemplating what needs to be done next, what supplies must be procured, and what might be slipping through the cracks.
In addition, multitasking includes the risk of burnout, lost sleep, potential for errors due to divided attention, and it can take a toll on your mental well-being.
It's a familiar scenario – your workshop, a reflection of your mental state, becomes a medley of half-finished projects strewn across surfaces, materials scattered haphazardly, and a mind that refuses to settle.
As someone who has navigated the intricacies of managing multiple businesses simultaneously for over a decade, each with its own intricate to-do lists, personnel challenges, and unending maintenance tasks, I was compelled to devise a system that could seamlessly track progress across various projects, reduce errors and forgotten projects, and increase my focus, ability to delegate, and reduce my stress
The solution? An elegantly simple tool that we all have access to: Google Keep.
Here's a glimpse into my modest yet highly effective system:
1. The To-Do List: At the core of my approach is a dynamic to-do list. This roster includes tasks slated for completion over the next few days. From sending essential emails, equipment needing repair, and placing material orders to setting up meeting reminders, everything finds its place here. As each item is finished, it’s checked and disappears from the list. I review this list each morning, and often throughout the day.
2. Ongoing Projects List: Central to maintaining composure in the whirlwind of tasks is the ongoing projects list. These are ventures in progress, requiring no immediate action. It could be awaiting architectural plans for a future build or designing a training course for the months ahead. This list helps maintain focus on present tasks while ensuring you're prepared for what's next.
3. Detailed Business Lists: Each business or project gets its dedicated detail list. Here, I outline the crucial elements demanding attention—what needs replenishing, fixing, upgrading, or addressing. This provides a comprehensive overview of the current status and upcoming requirements. The individual business lists could easily be individual projects lists, a list of each commission you are working on, or however you naturally divide up your business.
4. Link File: Here I maintain links to articles or posts I think I might use in the future, or I feel are inspiration for future content. It might be a post I want to replicate, or an article with interesting statistics I will use later.
Add to these list, something I call Scheduled Sanity:
Introducing an element of structure is paramount to preventing overwhelm. My week adheres to a fairly predictable routine, tailored to each business or project's needs. This predictability removes the sense of urgency to tackle everything at once, and reduces my anxiety.
While life's unexpected events like family commitments do arise, built-in flex time allows for adjustments.
Monday: Payroll and visiting business locations. Tasks are based on location-specific to-do lists and the overarching list. I can review each store’s list while at that location, and add or subtract to it on the fly.
Tuesday: KPI reporting and office work. This is where I get an overview of the health of each business by the numbers. Evening is dedicated to content creation, and checking the health of George Supply and Woodwrx also by the numbers..
Wednesday: Flex day, including potential shop time. Something always seems to fill this day, but if not, I get a little mid week break.
Thursday: Repeat of Monday's location visits. I also usually try to push non-critical meetings to Thursday and Friday.
Thursday Evening: Initiating the preparation of George Supply social media content for the next week. Keep in mind at this point I have a content calendar already established. So Thursday I am working on creative and captions for the next week.
Friday: Reserve the day for unforeseen emergencies. With 10 locations and 400 employees, they always come up.
Hey Scott, our oven broke 10 minutes before the dinner rush
Hey Scott, what’s my password?
Hey Scott, we have an employee who was bitten by a racoon when she was trying to rescue it from the trash
Evening spent continuing content creation, email newsletter, podcast scripts, etc.
Of course, everyone’s schedule is different. My kids are grown, so that frees up an incredible amount of time for me. So you need to find your own schedule, and your own path.
In Conclusion:
The hustle of managing multiple tasks in the life of a maker can be both exhilarating and overwhelming. However, maintaining an organized and effective system can be a game-changer. The key lies not in complex tools or intricate methodologies, but in simplicity and consistency. Google Keep, in my case, emerged as the unlikely hero, enabling me to oversee the diverse landscape of my endeavors with ease.
Remember, the path to mastering multitasking starts with a clear strategy, an organized plan, and a commitment to maintaining your mental equilibrium. Embrace the chaos, but do so armed with a system that not only survives the storm but thrives in it. Your workshop, both mental and physical, will thank you for it.
If you want to level up your system to include calendar links, voice notes, photos, color highlights and more, I lay it out in my blog post Using Your Notes App to Manage Your To-Do List
To start building your marketing knowledge now, you may be interested in our new course, “Raising Awareness About Your Brand” at our website at georgesupplyco.com, and clicking the “Courses” option on the toolbar.
[Closing Music]
I’m Scott Chervitz, and thank you for listening to the Business for Makers Podcast, brought to you by George Supply Company.
Subscribe to our podcast to get regular insights and tips for building your maker business. And you can get more information about building your brand, selling merchandise, and maintaining your business operations all at georgesupplyco.com.