In the beginning of building your business you are doing everything all by yourself. It’s fun, exciting, frustrating and highly rewarding.
But as your business grows, you’ve got a choice to make. You can…
1: Keep trying to do everything yourself. After all, no one out there is going to do things exactly like you, right? But be prepared for burnout, because very few people can continue to grow a business all by themselves for any extended time.
2: Decide to stay small. For some solopreneurs, a business that covers all of their needs is all they want. Working with freelancers, hiring employees and all that goes with it is something they simply don’t desire. Their dream is to work a few hours each week to maintain what they’ve built, and grow the business no further. And for some this is a great option.
3: Let go and grow. If you want to continue to grow your business bigger, faster and better, then you’re going to need help. And when you bring on other people to work in your business, you’ll need to let go of some things. Sure, they don’t do it exactly as you do it. So what? Relax, let go and let your business grow with the help of others.
Think of delegation is your secret to success and sanity. By letting go of tasks that don’t need your special touch, you can free up your time and energy to focus on what you do best, as well as ensuring you have enough time to get away from your business and recharge your own batteries.
How do you know when it’s time to start delegating?
- When you are feeling overwhelmed.
- When business is booming but your workload overflowing.
- When you lack certain skills that could easily be handled by experts.
- Want you want to focus on your strengths and let go of the annoying tasks.
What can you delegate?
- The repetitive stuff: Scheduling, social media, bookkeeping – they can all go.
- The specialized stuff: Design, legal matters, website development – leave these to the pros.
- The low-impact stuff: Tasks that don’t contribute directly to your goals – delegate and focus on what matters most.
Finding the right help is like finding your best friend.
- Know your needs: What tasks are sucking the life out of you?
- Set a budget: How much can you invest in your dream team?
- Explore your options: Freelance platforms, online services, local agencies – find the perfect fit.
- Interview like a pro: Find someone whose skills, experience, and personality mesh with yours.
- Start small: Dip your toes in the delegation pool before diving in headfirst.
But… what if you don’t want to grow or delegate?
That’s fine too. Maintaining a business that maintains your lifestyle without getting bogged down in a constant need for growth is the right choice for some people. It makes sense. Why stress over growing a business if that’s not what you want to do?
I know of several online marketers who created one or several products and stopped there. They still update the products and they still do just enough to keep the sales rolling in, but most of the week they are off living their lives of freedom.
Other online marketers see freedom as an ever-growing business where the major share of work is done by others. They put in more time and effort, but they also get more reward.
It’s your choice. Let go and grow your business with the help of others or maintain a one-person shop with plenty of free time to live your life.
If you choose to grow your business with the help of others, remember that delegation isn’t about giving up control; it’s about empowering yourself and your business. By letting go of the reins and trusting others, you can unlock incredible growth and create a business that you can truly be proud of.