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One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is thinking they need to do everything themselves, or, even worse, thinking that hiring one “rockstar” full-time employee will solve every problem in their business (and if they do find this diamond in the rough, which is highly unlikely, they’re usually not in a position to hire and manage that person effectively). In my experience, I’ve found that success comes from not how you do it but who helps you do it, and a team of experts is the most effective way to get there.
Today’s small business owners and solopreneurs are under more pressure than ever. The market is rapidly shifting, consumers are cautious about spending, and there’s a constant demand to stay visible and relevant in an increasingly crowded market. Entrepreneurs are expected to wear every hat, from visionary to strategist and social media manager, and still find time to grow their business. It’s insanity, isn’t it?
After starting my business, I quickly realized that the most effective way for it to be successful was to bring on outside help. Through strategic outsourcing, I was able to grow my first business, the Boutique COO, to seven figures in under eight months.
So, how do you know when it’s time to bring in outside help or where to even start? Here are four main steps to guide you.
Related: How to Outsource Your Way to a $10-Million Business
1. Stop trying to find your unicorn
When most business owners realize they need help, their first instinct is to look for one full-time hire who can help manage ops, run their marketing campaigns, handle admin tasks and maybe even update the website and post on social media.
That, my friends, is what we call a unicorn. They just don’t exist. And if they do, they’re either incredibly expensive or burned out from being pulled in a thousand directions. Plus, as a busy business owner who may not be comfortable with effective performance management or trained in it, you might not be able to best leverage your unicorn even if you found them.
Early on in my business, I tried to find someone who could take a lot of things off my plate. I thought that if I could just find the right person, I’d be set. But in reality, no single human (including you) will be amazing at everything your business needs, and expecting them to be amazing is unfair.
The better and smarter approach is to build a dream team of specialists who each do what they’re great at. Hire a bookkeeper who has a penchant for numbers. Bring on a virtual assistant who gets giddy about organization. Add a marketing specialist who loves to write. When everyone is working in their zone of genius and gets in their flow state, the quality of work skyrockets. The natural result is authentic and much more sustainable business growth.
It’s also more cost-effective and less risky. Instead of paying a full-time salary plus benefits for one person, you can outsource even just a few ad hoc hours at a time for highly skilled support in each important area of your business. This way, you aren’t betting your business on a single person — and you get better results, spend less money and free up your own time. It’s a win-win.
2. Identify the workload, not the title
Before you start outsourcing, you need to stop thinking in terms of job titles. You don’t need a COO or a marketing manager (not yet, at least). What you do need is clarity on what tasks are taking up most of your time.
Related: What You Need to Know Before Hiring Independent Contractors
When I talk to clients whose businesses are taking off, I do a quick audit. I look at where they spend the most time and what drains their energy. If something is time-consuming and doesn’t provide much impact, that is a big red flag that the task either needs to be discontinued entirely or outsourced. Think in terms of categories that don’t necessarily contribute to revenue growth, like admin, onboarding new clients, invoicing and bookkeeping or the ever-dreaded payroll.
Here’s a general rule: If your plate is full and you’re spending more than three to five hours a week on something that doesn’t require your specific expertise, outsource it.
Related: Your Time is Money, Start Saving It By Outsourcing
3. Decide what to outsource first
Think about the tasks that don’t directly generate revenue or that someone else could do better and faster than you can.
For most entrepreneurs, this includes tasks like
Scheduling and calendar management
Invoicing and payments
Emailing newsletters and planning social media
Doing basic admin, such as organizing files and documents
When I first started outsourcing, I handed off two things that took a big chunk of my time but didn’t actually need my time: scheduling and inbox management. It was a small change, but the impact was massive. Not only did I gain back time during the week, but I also felt mentally clear enough to focus on strategies to grow my business.
4. Set your contractors up for success
Hiring help is just the first step. Being a good leader is what makes a huge difference.
My non-negotiables: Be specific about expectations, and make your onboarding process crystal clear. Give your contractors access to the shared tools you use so they have everything they need to get started. At the Boutique COO and our new sister company, Brick by Brick Collective, we’re big fans of Notion and Paymo, and we basically live in Slack.
Set up regular check-ins, especially during onboarding. Plan time to train contractors and give them feedback early on. Set clear goals and expectations. Your best hire will still feel ineffective if you aren’t investing in getting them ramped up.
Be prepared to accept that things will be done 80% to 90% of the way you’d do it. If you expect someone to do something exactly how you’d do it, you are not weighing the benefit of outsourcing with the small cost of things not being exactly “perfect.” Remember, if you hire someone to clean your house or mow your lawn, you wouldn’t be complaining if they folded your clothes slightly differently than you do or if they did yardwork in a slightly different order.
These tips have been instrumental in my growing a seven-figure business in under eight months, starting two new businesses and bringing on almost 150 team members without sacrificing my sanity.
Related: What Not to Do When Outsourcing
Do more with less, and build bigger than you’d thought possible
Ultimately, it’s about asking a better question:
Not “How can I get this done?” but “Who can help me get it done?” and “Who do I need to be to enable those people best?”
If you’re truly ready to grow, pick one task you’re doing regularly that doesn’t require you to do it, and find someone to take it off your plate this week. You’ll be surprised at how much that tiny shift opens up everything else for you.
Outsourcing is a strategy that, when done with intention, can be one of the most powerful ways to do more for your business and keep your clients (and you!) happy.
