>>>Are you the CEO of everything?

Why did you go into business? If you’re anything like my clients, it was because you knew you had a unique skillset and expertise that could help other people. You could create a fulfilling and rewarding career path for yourself as you delivered your value proposition.

What often transpires, however, is that people get stuck in the operational day to day of running a business which has an impact on their ability to grow and scale. Quite frankly, it leads to boredom and burnout. It’s easily fixed - and that’s by building outsourcing into your business model.

Oh Jo, outsourcing’s not an option for me! I’m too small. This is my baby. No-one can do it like I can. It’s too expensive. Here’s my response to these common obstacles women raise when I mention outsourcing as a viable option:

I’m too small - do you really have the time to grow and scale and build your business when you’re wearing all the hats?

This is my baby - do you want your baby to grow and take on the world? Just like it takes a village to raise a child, so too a business.

No-one can do it like I can - this one makes me giggle. Really? No-one? Just because something’s always been done this way doesn’t mean it’s as efficient and as effective as it could be. So many of my clients do something within their business because it’s a strategy or a process ‘someone’ suggested they do early on - and no judgement here whatsoever.

In those heady days of starting a business, there’s so much trial and error, a freedom in ‘sucking it and see what happens’ but how often do you actually audit or evaluate the trial and error? When it comes to the tasks in your business that aren’t related to why you started and what you do, that aren’t in your zone of genius, I can almost guarantee there’s a person out there that can do it quicker, cheaper and better than you, and I mean this with absolutely no disrespect.

It’s too expensive - compared to what? And how do you know? One of my fabulous clients has an hourly rate that starts at $220 and was spending up to two hours a week reconciling her Xero. This activity cost her $440 per week and of course this doesn’t take into account the time it took her away from revenue-generating activities. Add the fact that she absolutely detests anything to do with numbers and finance, and the mental load was significant. I suggested a bookkeeper and she baulked, expecting it to be a prohibitive cost, but she obtained some quotes anyway. She now has her reconciliation taken care of each month, she’s confident she’s meeting her obligations and her bookkeeper also provides a monthly analysis that informs her work with me as her business coach - all for the sum of $200 a month. Note a month - not a week!

Here’s the thing - there are so, so many elements in running a successful business - but does each and every element have to be completed by you? If you want to scale, if you want a sustainable business, then the answer is no. There might be certain tasks in your business that you are unwilling or unable to do. As a business owner, your focus needs to be on delivering services and generating interest to keep service delivery an option, ie revenue raising. Repeat after me: outsourcing is my new best friend!

Outsourcing has a massive impact on both a business’ productivity as well as its ability to sustainably scale. Thanks to cloud-based platforms and the gig economy, the talent pool that’s available to women in business is staggering. I’m talking highly accomplished and experienced professionals who are often also running businesses delivering a range of services including graphic design, executive assistance, CRM management, marketing and communications support, web development, content writing, bookkeeping and HR services.

Given the outsourcing model is based on engaging subcontractors rather than employing team members, the costs and outlays are minimised. There’s no payroll, there’s no superannuation and there’s no worker’s compensation. NB check your obligations with your accountant as these vary from state to state.

The actual process of outsourcing can feel a bit fraught and complex. A handy way to frame the concept of outsourcing is to think about your broader goals and vision. What would you do all day, every day if all you had to do in your business was to turn up and deliver your expertise?

A good place to start is with a time and task audit. Where and how are you spending your workdays? List all the things you do in any given day/week and assess them against the skillset required. Do they really have to be done by you? Who could they be done by?

Now consider all of the things that generate your revenue. List these tasks and determine which need you to complete and which could be outsourced. For example, speaking on podcasts that give you access to your target audience clearly can only be done by you. Researching relevant podcasts and pitching to them? That can be outsourced.

When it comes to building your team of outsourced talent, I believe in outsourcing to your vision. Think about your goals for your business, where you’d like to be within the next 3 - 5 years and have that as your guide to building a team to meet your aspirations. If you want someone to be your right hand (wo)man as you grow and scale, this will determine who you select - you want someone with the capacity to be able to match your pace.

On this - please, please PLEASE do your due diligence before you let anyone into your business! In my corporate days, I’d never hire anyone without having a detailed interview against a set of criteria and a position description. I’d reference check. I’d ensure their qualifications and experience was a match to the role requirements. So too with your business. Be cautious and take your time finding the right person.

When it’s been you and only you it can be really difficult to let go and delegate, but when you do? Your business will transform which will have an impact on your broader life as well. You’ll be wondering why you didn’t do it sooner! If outsourcing isn’t part of your business model but you would like it to be, please reach out for a discovery session  with me. We can explore this, and so much more as we set you up for success.

 Yours in outsourcing…

How well do you know your bottom line? It’s something we could explore in a Discovery Session.

Book a session with me to review what challenges may be keeping you stuck and preventing you from moving forward in your business. Includes:

Pre-session research

1 hr Consultation

Review current biz model

Prioritise goals for the next 3, 6, 12 months

Take away 2 - 3 steps you can implement in your biz right now to reduce the roadblocks

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