Owners and managers drive their businesses through passion and expertise. But, as their business grows, it all becomes more complicated, and they’ll need to share the workload.
How can you best use outside help or employ people to take things off your hands?
Vipul Sheth is the founder of AdvanceTrack Outsourcing, which provides specialist services to accounting practices and business finance departments.
“You have to step back and think carefully of yourself and what you offer and provide as a product or service,” he says.
“Anything that you do that isn’t directly involved in providing the ‘special’ part of that service or product could be outsourced or delegated. Do what you have to do to earn money, let others do everything else.”
But even Sheth appreciates how hard it is to let go, particularly as startup businesses are usually cash-constrained, and struggle to pay others to take on tasks on their behalf.
“Ultimately, if you pay someone to do something on your behalf it means you have more time to concentrate on earning even more. As you grow, your ongoing costs become less of an issue.”
Gold Mokwe of events brand Hot Since 91, agrees that delegating work is vital when a business expands rapidly. East London-based Mokwe founded Hot Since 91 off the back of a single event, and now it has developed and diversified into film nights, club nights and digital content – all aimed at a love of things 1990s.
“I was basically doing everything,” Mokwe admits. She hired an expert graphic designer for event scenery and the website – an area she felt she wasn’t competent in, yet was important for the brand’s look and feel.
It’s not just specialised tasks that need filling, however. “Something like social media postings – they need updating and can be repetitive, so that is delegated.”
Mokwe still undertakes interviews that involve discussing her direction and the culture she is trying to create. “Safe” hires have come from people close to her: “Friends of friends, people close in your network.”
“Even if someone’s been recommended we discuss my business and what they think ‘their vision’ is of what they’ll be doing.”
At some point soon, the recruitment task will be outsourced to an agency, and Mokwe will have to instil her brand and direction through them.
Content on this page is paid for and provided by Kia Fleet, sponsor of the Guardian Small Business Network Accessing Expertise hub.
