Has hardship ever shaped you for the better? It has for me. 

My early years had their bumps and bruises, and I had to learn to fend for myself at a young age. I didn’t have much money, and I budgeted by envelope with cash. “Rent” gets this envelope. “Car payment” gets this one. The “food” envelope was sometimes painfully empty.  

I learned to laser-focus on deals, develop a mindset of relentless planning, and build routines to maximize my earnings.  

I survived the rocky days and got to something better, and this journey blessed me with confidence. I can make it! 

I love helping others realize they can make it, too. That’s the whole point of HireSmart Companies, both for-profit and nonprofit. We help business owners stand on a stronger footing and see, “Yes, I can make it!”   

Through our nonprofit, HireSmart Cares, we help the next generation develop the skills they need to secure meaningful employment as adults, realizing, “Yes, I can make it!” 

A call to action: HireSmart Cares aims to help youth realize their potential  

For instance, my husband and I meet with high schoolers in our community to talk about how to prepare for a job interview, what it takes to be a business owner and financial literacy. I always share my early “cash-in-an-envelope” strategy to illustrate that budgeting is the systematic implementation of your top priorities.  

That means paying for your housing and transportation tops the list. You need somewhere to sleep and somewhere to work. The “entertainment” envelope can’t be placed above the others in the stack. But if you pay close enough attention to the top priorities, you can gradually fill the other envelopes.  

47 Tasks You Should Never Do

Like those envelopes from my early days, setting priorities in your business budget is crucial for survival and growth. Here are five tips to help you prioritize effectively: 

• Start with Your Core Operations: Like the “rent” envelope, identify what keeps your business running day-to-day. This might include essential staff salaries, critical software subscriptions, or key supply chain costs. These are your non-negotiables and should be funded first.

• Invest in Growth Drivers: Next, prioritize areas that directly contribute to revenue growth. This could be your sales team, marketing efforts, or product development. Think of this as your “transportation” envelope. It’s what gets you to where you want to go.

• Build Your Emergency Fund: Unexpected expenses will arise in business as in life. Allocate a portion of your budget to build and maintain an emergency fund. Buffering against hard times gives you the confidence to make bold moves when opportunities arise.

• Focus on Efficiency and Productivity: Look for investments to improve your team’s efficiency or productivity by upgrading technology, providing training, or hiring virtual employees to handle time-consuming tasks. These investments often pay for themselves many times over.

• Don’t Neglect Long-Term Vision: While immediate needs are crucial, don’t lose sight of your long-term goals. Allocate some resources, even if small, to future-focused initiatives, such as research and development, exploring new markets, or building strategic partnerships.

Future Proofing Your Business! 

At HireSmart Virtual Employees, we help business owners find more revenue to put in those envelopes by linking businesses with top international office talent at a fraction of the cost of local hires.  

We budget our time, money, and resources toward an exhaustive front-end search for you, and that’s why we’re able to deliver. Our successful placement rate exceeds 98 percent, the best in the business.  

“I appreciate Rhona and Angelu tremendously,” said one of our clients about their two HireSmart VEs. “They are the backbone of our small business. I appreciate how they are always both willing and able to help, they both work hard and their knowledge and expertise are invaluable.” 

Ready to reassess your business priorities and optimize your budget? Click here to schedule a consultation.  

Let’s make sure your “envelopes” are full of exactly what you need so you can enjoy great times and weather whatever comes. I want to help you stand strong. That’s my business, and I love it!