| If your motto is "Nobody does it better", your | | | | life and your business are two completely |
| business will never grow. Successful business | | | | different things. The reason your business exists |
| owners surround themselves with a team of | | | | is to promote your desired lifestyle. Your life |
| people who help and support them. Unfortunately, | | | | shouldn't be consumed by your business because |
| 95% of businesses will never reach $1 Million in | | | | when that happens, the joy leaves. Do the tasks |
| sales. Why? Too many entrepreneurs try to do | | | | that make your heart sing, not the ones that are |
| too much, instead of strategically crafting a plan | | | | drudgery. A good rule is: if someone else can |
| to systemize and delegate. | | | | perform a task better, cheaper or faster than |
| Remember the guy in the circus, who would get | | | | you can - then you should probably outsource it. |
| plates spinning on long sticks? He can get all 8 | | | | Freelancers can provide administrative help, |
| plates spinning, but not for very long. Is that | | | | graphic design, bookkeeping, personal assistants, |
| what's happening in your business? How long can | | | | data entry, scheduling, market research, |
| you keep spinning plates before they come | | | | copywriting, web design, public relations and much |
| crashing down around you? If your goal is to just | | | | more. Utilize low cost providers such as those |
| "own your own job", then keep spinning. If you | | | | found at Don't forget about student interns. They |
| really want to create a Business that works, so | | | | can be a great resource and often work for |
| you won't have to work so hard, then you'll need | | | | school credit. Check with your local high school, |
| to build a team. The best way to do that is to | | | | college and university career development offices. |
| outsource, and it make sense to start with the | | | | To maximize your return on investment when |
| monotonous ones before moving on to more | | | | outsourcing, it's best to have a strategic plan in |
| complex tasks. | | | | place. Too many business owners spend more |
| To help you, take a moment and stop reading | | | | time planning a two-week vacation than what |
| this article and to do this exercise: | | | | they want their business to look like in three to |
| · Write down you Top Ten Strengths - what do | | | | five years. Strategic planning doesn't have to be |
| you do best? | | | | complicated, cumbersome or time consuming. All |
| · Next write down your Top Ten Weaknesses. | | | | you need is a simple but effective step-by-step |
| · Rank each of them in the order of importance. | | | | guide to help make decisions and remember goals, |
| · Look at both lists...How are you spending your | | | | strategies and tactics on day to day basis. It will |
| time right now? | | | | also help you work better with your vendors and |
| Completing this exercise can shed considerable | | | | communicate clearly with your team. |
| light on where you're at in your business. As I | | | | Just as a sea captain must set a course and |
| work with startup entrepreneurs and | | | | delegate responsibilities accordingly to the crew in |
| solo-preneurs who are "stuck", the starting point | | | | order to arrive at their desired destination, as |
| isn't the business. The best starting place is to | | | | CEO, your job is to cast the vision of where you |
| define the owner's values, desired lifestyle and the | | | | want your company to go and to develop a plan |
| legacy he or she wants to leave. Once those | | | | to get there. From there, it's just a matter of |
| things have been established, then you can design | | | | documenting your business processes and deciding |
| your business around your life. | | | | to delegate by outsourcing, starting with the |
| It doesn't work to do it the other way around. | | | | monotonous tasks first. |
| That's because your business is not your life. Your | | | | |