A big reason I have my own business is so I can control how I spend my time.

So when I began my business venture, oddly enough the first thing I did was sign up for piano lessons. I always wanted to learn the piano–and even tried for a short time in college–but I either never had the “time” or the “money” to do it.

So now with the time and resources I have, I get to go to the music studio every Monday and learn something I’ve always wanted to. And each lesson I end up connecting between the music on the piano to the music in business.

As I started playing, I would focus on each measure of notes separately. First the right hand, then the left hand. Playing the few notes over and over again until I could do the measure flawlessly, and then combining both hand movements together. But then when I tried to play the song through, I would have a pause between each measure as I realigned myself to begin the next one.

So I started slowly putting two measures together. Then three. And eventually, the entire song.

And just as in business and trying something new–maybe a new business tool to help manage customers or track finances–it takes some time to get used to it. And slowly you figure out the features and how to use them. Then create some workflows and begin using the tool in tandem with other parts of your business until it’s a cohesive piece.

But that doesn’t mean it’s perfect.

In piano, I start to practice another song and when I come back to the first one it is slightly disconnected until the muscle memory returns.

Understanding, memory, proficiency–they don’t happen immediately.  Both in music and in business.

And even once you know the music notes and the key to play in… Then there is the tempo, the loudness–all layered on top. And these elements really make the song sound the way it was intended. It gives it depth, soul, purpose.

To me this is like adding automation in your business. Taking all those pieces that work together and allowing systems to integrate–one task kicks off another task. Everything in sync. Performing the way it is intended, to support the business.

Businesses start from passion. A passion to spend your time doing something. In most cases that passion is not running business tools and creating processes. So many tools were created and are available so that business owners don’t need to be concerned with all that.  I even get to have my own tools to manage my process of helping other business operations!

So I’m enjoying creating the parallel between music notes and business process, one song at a time.

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