For years, I did everything in my business. I really thought I had no other choice. In fact, for a long time, it never even dawned on me that I could hire someone to help me. And even after I realized this was a possibility, my frugal mind told me I couldn’t afford it.
As my business grew, and I started a second business and began developing new income streams, I neared the point of saturation. Yes, I loved what I was doing, but there simply were not enough hours in the day to get it all done. About this time I happened to be working with a business coach, and he kept telling me I needed to hire an assistant. He said that if I would just hand off some of the necessary but non-revenue-producing work to an assistant, it would very quickly pay for itself. He told me it was a necessary step in my company’s growth.
I finally took his advice and hired an assistant, even though at the time I still didn’t think I could afford it. I started letting her take care of administrative and support tasks that didn’t require my expertise. And, what I quickly realized was that she was actually better and quicker at most of these tasks than I was.
Since that very first assistant, I’ve added several other people to my team. And you know what? I’ve never had a problem paying for them, because each team member I add frees up more of my time to serve my clients and create new products and services. I now get to focus on what I do best and don’t have to feel overwhelmed by all the tasks that go into running my own business.
It’s important to note that none of my team members are employees. They’re all independent contractors who either work for me on a regular basis, or are available as I need them. They are my virtual team, and they make it possible for me to run several businesses without getting completely overwhelmed or burning out.
So what if you’re not sure what team members you need, or what team members to start with? Here are a few suggestions.
Virtual Assistants
Virtual assistants can handle a wide variety of tasks including customer service, email support, administrative and clerical tasks, marketing and technology support. The key is to find the areas you need support and find a virtual assistant who specializes in that area.
Bookkeeper
One of the least expensive, highest impact team members you can add is a bookkeeper. They’re experts at running financial management programs such as QuickBooks and can handle processing and issuing invoices, balancing your accounts, payroll, tax preparation, and all of the time-consuming tasks that keep you from focusing on business growth.
CPA or Accountant
A good CPA or accountant is worth his or her weight in gold. By understanding the tax laws as they pertain to small businesses, they can actually make you money. This is an area you don’t want to cut corners. Find the best CPA or accountant you can, and preferably one that specializes in working with small business owners.
Attorney
An attorney will make sure your business is set up properly and that you and your assets are protected.
Computer Technicians or IT Support
Unless you want to waste your valuable time troubleshooting technology issues, it’s best to have access to a computer technician who can be available to handle these issues for you. Find an independent professional who works with small business owners. Very often they are available on an as-needed basis.
Web Designers
If you want your small business to appear professional you need a professionally designed website or blog. A great place to find reliable, inexpensive web help is by asking for referrals or using a service such as Elance.com
These are just some of the areas you may want to consider adding team members. To get started identifying the best team members for your business, make a list of all the tasks you currently do yourself that you either don’t like, aren’t good at, or that are outside your primary area of expertise. Prioritize the tasks that are most important to your business and start looking for team members to fill these roles.
About the author
Debbie LaChusa is the founder and president of DLC Marketing, Inc. and The National Association of Home-Based Business Moms (www.nahbm.com). She is also the author of
The Career-at-Home Mom: Secrets for Earning a Six-Figure Income While Having Time for Your Family. She's a marketing and home-based business coach and international speaker who has shared the stage with celebrity teachers from "The Secret." You can register for Debbie's free special report, "Why Marketing Isn't Enough" and get a complimentary subscription to her ezine, Stepping Up! at http://www.debbielachusa.com