Outsourcing Your Headache

Starting your own business is a dream of many people. The idea of being your own boss, working your own hours, making decisions and being the captain of your own destiny has almost a fairy tail appearance, but along with the perks comes downfalls as well. As an entrepreneur and a small business owner in the beginning you are most likely also wearing the hat of the HR manager, marketing head, accountant and even the janitor. In some cases this can be too overwhelming for some and they are not able to perform the more important tasks properly. There are several unique approaches that one can take to eliminate this overwhelming feeling and to focus in on what is important. One of the most important and easiest ways to deal with this is through outsourcing.Many people frown upon outsourcing because they feel it’s wasteful and not necessary to pay someone to do something that they can do themselves. Well, in some cases they are correct but in others they cannot be further from the truth. One of the most important things an entrepreneur can remember is that time is money. As entrepreneurs we need to focus on the key decisions and actions that affect the well being of our start-ups. Sure everyone can write payroll checks, send out invoices, handle A/R and file quarterly reports, but is it worth a day or two of your week? Its times like these that we need to recognize that time is money. The two days that you spent behind the desk doing paperwork could have been spent networking or focusing on strategic planning, events that in the long run will bring more value to the company than the cost of outsourcing your other tasks. As the board of directors, CEOs and presidents of our own companies, it is our duty to assign the proper personnel to the appropriate tasks, and that includes yourself! You need to be able to recognize your strengths and weaknesses and assess where your time is best spent. This school of thought is applicable throughout the growth cycle of every business, from the planning stages to the day of your IPO. Every aspect of business can be outsourced through specialized consultants or agencies, and it is up to you to determine what portions of your business are best handled by someone else and in 99% of the cases outsourcing the correct tasks will save you time, money and headaches. You can also find more information on how to properly outsource and how to choose the right people for the job though many specialized books. One book that I highly recommend is The 4 - hour workweek by Timothy Ferriss. For more information on how we assist small business start-ups and discussions on key topics, please visit Coastal Business Strategies at www.cbsplans.com David GriggrnOwner, Coastal Business Strategies