Hire or keep in-house? What to do yourself, and what to delegate, when starting a new business
Starting a new business is both exciting and also one of the scariest things imaginable. Being a ‘solo entrepreneur’ means you have to wear so many hats and be skilled in so many areas if you want your ideas to take off.
But here’s the thing, you don’t have to do it alone.
While there’s a few things that almost anyone can train themselves to do — scheduling your social media posts, basic accounting using QuickBooks — when it comes to things like logos, branding and website design… it's always wise to hire in the experts.
So how do you take that first step?
“Hire people who are better than you.”
This is a golden rule in business, from small start-ups to huge global companies. Why waste time (and money) doing something that you’re not confident in, when you could pay someone to do a much better job, in a fraction of the time?!
When you’re starting your business, there are going to be a lot of tasks that you can easily manage on your own, but everyone has their blindspots. You might be a whiz at closing deals but can’t do graphic design to save your life –– and that’s totally okay. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.
That little voice in your head that says “You’re not ready”
Shame is just one emotion you may be feeling. Fear is another:
Fear that you’re putting your business in someone else’s hands
Worry that the expert will do a bad job or miss the mark
Fear that the work is too good and your business grows too fast (yes that sounds weird, but what if things take off overnight… how will you deal with the increased interest?!)
Anxiety regarding budget and keeping costs low
Feeling the pressure of finding the best person for the job
All of these are totally valid things to be feeling –– but they can also be managed easily with proper planning and good communication with your hired expert.
Remember that it’s your business, and you’re the one calling the shots! You are ready for this next step — it’s essential for your growth.
Choosing what to keep in-house and what to hire for in your business
Feelings of fear and anxiety aside, it’s time to focus on the practicalities: what’s worth outsourcing and what should you keep in-house? Let’s break this down.
Finances
Unless you’re a trained accountant, it’s definitely best to get some outside help with this one. You can quickly get in over your head when it comes to your SMB finances. Tax season is the source of sleepless nights for many new business owners, and you can't afford to get it wrong!
There are lots of software tools to make SMB accounting easy, but it's always worth having an expert review your books once or twice a year to make sure everything’s looking good.
Client/customer management
The success of your business lives and dies with customer service. So, wherever possible, this is one responsibility to hold on to for now. It’s your brand after all. You know what’s best for your clients, and you know your audience better than anyone.
When you've got too many customers for you to manage by yourself, that's when you can look to get extra support.
Content marketing
This one really comes down to the individual. Some elements of marketing can be easy and enjoyable for the right people, but others will struggle big time.
It's all about using your time in the best ways. Will mocking up Instagram posts on Canva really only take you half an hour? And is that a half hour well spent — or is it serving as a distraction from more important tasks?
If you’ve got good reason to create marketing collateral for yourself, then go for it. If not, then it’s something you can outsource for a reassuring return.
Branding and design
These days, you can have a website up and running within the hour — seriously! You can even buy cheap logos and branding guidelines online, if you like what you see.
For most businesses though, it’s worth outsourcing a designer to help with your branding and overall vibe. Having a unique and memorable look will undoubtedly help you win more clients, so is definitely an investment in the long run. Have a read of our blog, ‘VBL: Unlocking the power of visual brand language’, to learn more.
We’re here to help!
At Street Designed we offer design services for small and medium businesses, for a range of budgets and needs. More importantly, we can empathize deeply with your nervousness around taking this big step. We’ve been there before. And that’s why we’re encouraging you to take the leap!
