Growing a small business is challenging and often requires more hours in a day than you have to give. It also takes more energy and creativity than may seem possible. While the process can be an uphill battle at times, the journey of growing your business is deeply rewarding. With each milestone you reach, you’ll become more confident and more prepared to take on the next obstacle.

Part of the adventure will inevitably include inviting support into your business. Delegation is one of the best strategies to allow your business to grow. When you’re ready to bring in help (or more help if you’ve already started delegating), the first step is to decide what type of help will be the most beneficial. For first-time delegators, this can be a confusing process. We frequently work with entrepreneurs who know they need help, but are not sure what kind of help will be best. Don’t worry– we’re here to guide you!

 

Signs You Need Extra Business Support

As a hustling small business owner, you’ve probably already considered the fact that extra business support would help your organization prosper and allow you to achieve a satisfying work/life balance. For those of you unsure if the time is right to delegate, here are some signs that you might be ready:

• You’re busier than you would like to be.
• You don’t have the time to get or stay organized, and that slows you down.
• You’ve had to turn down opportunities because you don’t have the time.
• You have a vision for your business’s growth, but you don’t have the energy to execute.
• You’re spending more of your time on operational and administrative tasks than doing what you love.
• Your personal life is suffering because of your work schedule.

If any of these situations describe you, you would definitely benefit from some more assistance in your business. Now, let’s find out what type of help would be the most valuable.

 

Identify Problem Areas

The best place to start is identifying which areas of your business cause you the biggest headache. This will probably be easy for you to pinpoint. Which activities do you dread doing every month? What tasks do you try to get through fast so you can move on to what you really love? Are there any tasks that occupy more of your time than they really should?

Make a list and then prioritize from the most time-consuming (or frustrating) to the least. This list represents the areas that are slowing you down and keeping you from the core of your business. Consider what it would feel like to let these tasks go. For some of you, that will be relieving. Others might have a harder time letting go. Keep your focus on the end goal of having more time to do what you love.

 

Identify Opportunities for Growth

After naming your top time-sinks, now consider how you’d rather be expending your energy. Which parts of your business present the biggest opportunities for growth? You likely have big dreams for your business, but try to find the areas that are the most immediate.

Consider growth steps like adding a product line, expanding your service area, or entering a new industry with your existing offerings. If you had all the time in the world, what would be at the top of your list? Imagine how achieving these goals would be easier if you had a dedicated partner by your side.

 

What Will Make the Biggest Impact?

Several ideas have probably already popped into your head. With unlimited funds, you could use support in every part of your business! Unfortunately, we live in the real world where your budget is tight and your time is precious. So, we need to be realistic about what help will make the biggest impact for you in the present.

The best tasks to offload will usually come down to those that will save you the most time. Your time as a business owner is often the biggest asset you have. You should spend it wisely. That’s why delegating unfulfilling, operational, and/or administrative tasks can be the most effective way to grow your business. It frees you up to work on your business rather than in your business.

While you save time by delegating your problem areas, you can refocus your time and energy toward those areas of opportunity that we talked about. If you have the ability to engage support on both fronts, you’ll be even better off. Delegating is a delicate balance of sticking to your own strengths and passions while relying on others to back you up by sticking to theirs. Once you build a successful team, growing your business will be easier than ever.

Hire the Help You Need!

Your work/life balance is right around the corner! You’ve identified the type of help that will benefit your business the most. Now, you can get the help you need and see your business grow. Depending on what you hope to delegate, a Virtual Assistant can be one of the easiest ways to move forward.

Schedule a free consultation to find out how a Virtual Assistant can help your business thrive!