Building a business past one employee (namely you) can be challenging, especially when you’re in a service business. Of course you could always use a few extra hands to check your P.O. Box or schedule appointments, but you may feel challenged when looking to hire some help – even on a part-time basis.
So, how do you breakthrough from being self-employed to being a business owner with staff? We all know you need two things: more clients and more help. But if you’re like my clients, you may not know which one to do first.
The answer may surprise you.
To be honest, the answer to the question of which to do first is – YES. Yes, you can get the clients first. And yes, you can hire the staff first. Either one will work, as many companies have done both and been successful. However, the path that will work best for you depends on your personal strengths (and the strengths of your team if you have one already).
Here are some thoughts you can consider when making this decision.
(1) Do you have a list of clients or opportunities waiting for your attention? If you’ve already got work or the potential for work in front of you, the way to go is to secure the clients. With the financial resources, you can hire temporary help (or even ask family and friends to pitch in) while you’re building your team. After all, opportunity does have an expiration date.
(2) Are you good at building a team? If you’re good at building a team, then spend a few extra hours mapping out the responsibilities and job descriptions you need to take your business to the next level. Since this is one of your strengths, this should be simple to do. Why not get it out of the way now and then spend your “in office” hours running after new business?
(3) Are you ready to get the job done through the efforts of others? Whether you have the clients or the staff, you’ll need to learn how to motivate your team to get the work done. Choose a managing style that works for you and do your best to trust your team to the tasks at hand. You’ll need some time to adjust, but you can do it!
No matter what you decide to do, remember that with time, you can have the business of your dreams. If you’d like more help mapping out an expansion plan, apply for a Speedy Business Growth Strategy Session (a $197 value). Click here to apply.
