Welcome to our first edition of Spice Up Your Business! Every 2 weeks, we’ll be sharing a recipe for business success alongside a delicious food recipe to inspire both your business and your taste buds.

Business Recipe: Check Your Pantry (Self Mini Gap Analysis)

In business, just like in the kitchen, you must know what ingredients you have on hand before you ‘cook up success’.

Ingredients:

Think of your business resources – your time, energy, and tools—as the ingredients in your pantry.

Instructions:

Step 1: Inventory What’s Working Well
Start by identifying what’s already in your “pantry” that’s working well.

• What strengths and resources are you using effectively?

These are your core ingredients, the ones that add flavour and consistency to your business.

Step 2: Identify What’s Missing
Next, take note of what’s missing or not working as well as it should.

• Are there gaps in your systems, processes, or tools that are holding you back?

These are the ingredients you need to stock up on or replace to create a balanced and successful business recipe.

Step 3: Beware of Blind Spots and Quick Fixes
While this self-assessment is a great first step, it’s important to recognize its limitations.

• As business owners, we often have blind spots – we’re too close to the situation to see everything clearly.
• Quick fixes or “bandaid solutions” might seem appealing, but they’re often temporary.

To truly succeed, you need to dig deeper, uncover the root causes of your challenges, and find sustainable solutions that align with your overall goals.

Just like in cooking, where a well-stocked pantry can inspire creativity… a thorough understanding of your business resources can spark new opportunities. But remember, this is just the beginning. Keep exploring, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to seek out the missing ingredients that will help your business thrive.

Food Recipe: Gilled Chili-Lime Chicken Marinade

Here’s a flavourful, quick, and easy recipe that people of all ages find tasty… even the pickiest of eaters:

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts or 6-8 chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Juice of 1 lime (or 2 tablespoons of lime juice)
• Zest from the lime
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic, minced)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder (or 2 tablespoons onion or green onion, chopped)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a freezer bag or bowl, mix marinade ingredients (excluding chicken).
2. Add the chicken to the marinade and ensure the meat is coated with marinade.
3. Chill and marinate for at least 60 minutes (up to 8 hours for more flavour).
4. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
5. Grill chicken for 6-9 minutes on each side or until cooked through (depending on the size and thickness of the chicken).
6. Garnish with fresh cilantro (if desired) and serve.

As it so happens we attended an online wine tasting with the wonderful Marte Belisle and I think this would be a lovely pairing with this recipe…

Artesano de Argento Organic White Malbec

Remember, just like in cooking, the right “spices” in your business can turn what can feel like chaos into opportunities for a better experience.

If you want help with an outside perspective to uncover those hidden gaps in your business? Book a free strategy session with me to explore how we can turn the overwhelm of a growing business into even more opportunities to drive your sustainable momentum and happiness along the way.

Click here to schedule your spot.
They’re limited to 5 per month.

Stay curious, stay aware, and don’t be afraid to experiment with new systems and processes. Next week I’ll share a recipe from the grill.

Let’s spice up your business together!