Running a successful business alone is very difficult. Most solo entrepreneurs need a helping hand at some point – this could involve hiring employees or outsourcing help. Below are a few of the signs that it could be time to reach out for help.
You’re struggling to keep up with the workload
Do you feel as if you’re constantly racing to get everything done in time? Do you often keep customers waiting or miss deadlines? This could be a clear sign that you need a helping hand. If you’re having trouble keeping on top of all the admin, consider whether it’s time to hire a secretary or outsource some of your admin (such as outsourcing an accountant). If you’re struggling to keep up with the core duties of your job, consider whether it’s time to train up an assistant.
You’re turning away customers
Got so much work to do that you’re having to turn away customers? While it’s a good sign that you’re attracting customers, having to turn them away could be causing you to miss out on additional income. By getting a helping hand, you may find that you’re able to take on more work and potentially make more income. It could be the perfect time to grow your business and take it to the next level.
The work/life balance is awful
You should be able to keep on top of your business without working all hours. If you’re having to give up time with family, cancel social events or even sacrifice sleep to get work done, it’s a clear sign that your work-life balance is not right. By hiring an employee to help you or outsourcing help, you can get your work-life balance back to normal. Some business owners find that it’s valuable to outsource around-the-clock phone answering services so that they’re not always on call. You may even be able to hire an assistant to take over your business on certain days.
You’re taking on tasks you feel unqualified to do
It’s unwise to take on tasks that you feel are out of your depth. Choosing to ‘wing it’ could result in costly mistakes. As a result, you should strongly consider outsourcing these tasks or hiring a qualified employee to take over. This could include outsource a digital marketing agency such as Cardinal Digital Marketing Agency to take over your marketing or hiring an in-house accountant to manage your books.
You can afford to hire help
Hiring or outsourcing help is only worthwhile if you can afford it. Consider how much money you’re bringing in and whether you’ve got enough to cover the cost of hiring someone or outsourcing someone. Consider the fact that hiring or outsourcing could enable you to take on more work and therefore up your income. You don’t have to take on a full-time employee or outsource a company permanently – taking on a part-time employee or trialing an outsourced company for a temporary period could be a good way of determining whether hiring help is cost-effective.