Outsourcing is the key to growth and expansion
As entrepreneurs of small yet growing businesses, I consider stress, worry, and exhaustion the biggest risks to our fledgling empires. I believe that Outsourcing is the key to the successful growth and expansion of your business. Perhaps more importantly, outsourcing is the much-needed cure for burnout.
I want to explore this concept with you. So let’s look at it through the stages; from the very beginning when your business is just a bun in the oven to the later years when it begins to grow its wings.
Before we do that though, let’s have a quick scout through the foundations of outsourcing.
What is outsourcing?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines outsourcing as the process of paying to have part of a company’s work done by another company.
My two pennies is that we’re also outsourcing when we have a cleaner, a takeaway, a painter and decorator, or even a food shop delivered.
Why would you outsource?
The benefits of outsourcing that are most touted are the savings of time and money. Outsource your techie needs or your product making to South East Asia, for example, and the widespread belief is that you’ll save a pretty penny.
But I believe the advantages of outsourcing are far brighter, happier and wider spread than that.
Anything you can do, I can do better?
Jack of all trades, master of none is a phrase that I just think wraps up the true wonders of outsourcing.
I can build a website. I can design a logo. I can wash, brush, and cut my own dog’s fur. I could teach myself to play the piano. I could teach my children to read and write.*
But do you know what, I’ve tried to DIY almost all of the things on this list, and what they all have in common is that I can do them, it takes me a very long time, I get frustrated, I want to give up, and the upshot is that the final result is just ok.
Outsourcing can save you money and boost your productivity
Now you may not be a social media whizz or a dog grooming extraordinaire, but you are a master of your trade. So just think about what you could achieve if you spend more of your time on that, and less on the things that take you an age or suck all of the joy out of you.
You probably could do your own accounts, but perhaps you’d be better off paying someone who really knows accounting inside out. They will probably save you a few quid, you can whack it on the expenses, you can sleep easy knowing it’s done properly and you’ll still be whistling whilst you work.
I think most of us are quite comfortable outsourcing our accounting needs. But why do we stop there?
For the first time in my self-employed, entrepreneurial life, I have outsourced the design of my logo, the build and design of my website and I am about to begin receiving support and guidance for how to make my social media accounts work for me.
Up until quite recently, I have managed to scrape by doing these things myself. And with a small but perfectly formed business, a bit of know-how, and a lot of passion, this was achievable.
So, on that note let’s talk business babies
When your business is just a bun in the oven, you have a billion ideas, oomph galore, and usually, a bit of a lackluster budget. So you have to spend carefully, frugally, and make do where you can.
So you prioritise, you decide what are your must haves and you hatch a plan ready for the birth.
A baby is born!
And just like that, or perhaps with a lot of groaning and unexpected surprises, your business is born. You chose a name, you cobble together a logo perhaps, and you get yourself on insta.
Your excitement is palpable, the sleepless nights many and the worries at times exponential.
But you put one foot in front of the other, you try different things to stop the baby crying, and you find your way to get through each day, learning as you go.
Your baby begins to grow
Your baby begins to grow, crawling first before it starts to really gather a bit of momentum. You start struggling to keep up, delighted at the new and wonderful things that each day brings, but wonder how on earth you will get everything done.
At this point, you hit a brick wall, stagnate, crumble, or ….. you outsource
It is now that you are ready to outsource! Your baby is ready to spend some time with helping hands, choose them wisely and the weight upon your shoulders shall ease.
Look at your pain points; the things that perhaps you can do but you’d rather not, or the things that you find difficult, the things someone else could do epically which would breathe a new lease of life into your baby.
I love my cleaner
Wait, what? Weren’t we talking about babies? Or was it businesses? Now we’re talking about cleaners?!
Yes. Because since I had children and a business, well now two businesses, and a brain that just won’t stop with the stuff. Well, my cleaner is one of my favourite people in the world.
At first I hired her because I was struggling for time and juggling everything was really tough.
But now, truth be told, I do have enough time to do my own cleaning but she is sooooooo much better at it than I am. She takes the rug outdoors and beats it against a tree for crying out loud. I’d never do that.
So whilst she cleans and brings the magic and love back into my home, I concentrate on the things that I’m good at.
Writing. Dogs. And giving birth to strange ideas and concepts!
If you’re ready for some help raising, nurturing, and growing that baby, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Book your free discovery call now to relieve that ebb towards burnout and to help your business bloom.
*I probably would do a worse job of this than any other suggestions on this list. Lockdown was a true testament to this.
** My Logo was designed by the lovely Alison at The House of Henry. My website was created by the amazing Rosie at Wuf Design. My social media game is about to be upped by the fantastic Christie at CA Digital.
0 Comments