By Kim Sayatovic, Belladeux Event Design
For many solopreneurs, it can be difficult to know when it’s time to expand your business and hire new employees to help balance your workload. However, if your goal is to continue growing your business, bringing in assistance will become an inevitable task that you must face.
Here are five signs that you need help, as well as how to start the hiring process:
- You find yourself turning down business because you simply don’t have time.
This is one of the top reasons that solopreneurs choose to bring on a new team member. Remember that, in order to grow your company, you need to make space for it. In most cases, that means bringing on help so that you can take on more clients and increase your bottom line.
- You can’t even remember the last time that you took a real ‘lunch break.’
If you find that you are often working through your lunch (or even skipping it altogether!), it means that you need to reevaluate your company structure. Believe it or not, taking breaks throughout the day is a great way to stay motivated and increase your productivity. If you find yourself so slammed while you’re in the office that you can’t afford to spare 15 minutes, it sounds like you need to bring in help.
- You are always working, even when you’re at home trying to enjoy an evening with your family.
Similar to the last one, your business should not impede on a healthy work-life balance. While it’s certainly important to meet deadlines and keep your clients happy, it’s not worth the physical and mental toll of a 60 or even 80-hour workweek. Bring on a new employee so they can share the workload and you can find time to unwind at home in the evenings.
- You know you put that BEO somewhere…unless maybe you didn’t even print it out?
Once you start to notice that you’re becoming scatterbrained or you can’t keep your thoughts straight, it’s time to consider the amount of work on your plate. If you find yourself overwhelmed with the amount of office work you need to finish in addition to your actual client work, look into hiring an intern or a part-time employee to handle the administrative work.
- You dread handling your finances at the end of the month, or you just can’t stand blogging.
If there’s one particular task that you just can’t stand (or aren’t even good at), look into hiring a contractor or part-time employee to take care of it for you. Hate keeping track of business expenses? Can’t stand the idea of sitting at a computer to write up a blog post (and figure out what SEO is)? Let somebody else take over the job for you! Bringing someone on for just a few hours per week is a cost-effective way to save you time (and a headache!).
Did you relate to any of these? If so, it’s time to consider the next step of the process: hiring the best fit. You’ll need to get an idea of the responsibilities you’d like to delegate so that you can determine the values that you’ll be looking for in the perfect candidate. In some cases, a freelancer may be all that you need, whereas in other situations, your need for help may call for a part-time or full-time employee.
Regardless of your needs, spread the word of your job opening far and wide through industry peers, social media groups, or local newsletters. Now is your chance to really use that network you’ve built up. Once you find the right fit for your business, you’ll start to see the benefits of having somebody to help you. Remember: You don’t have to do it all by yourself! With a lighter workload and more time on your hands, you will be free to do what you love most: create and innovate.
Kim Sayatovic is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Belladeux Event Design, a full service wedding and event design firm based in New Orleans, Louisiana.
