Launching a business is an act of optimism. It’s a bold, hopeful statement about how we want to build our own futures.
No one sets out to create a coaching practice or series of online courses by saying, “Gee, I sure hope this grows a little bit and then completely stalls out! I can’t wait to feel completely stuck in a year, and consider shutting it all down!”
And yet, so many entrepreneurs adopt mindsets that hinder the growth of our own businesses.
We play small.
We undercharge.
We focus on the wrong priorities.
Above, all many of us cling to our misconceptions about money, spending, and being smart with our expenditures. Especially when a business is just getting started, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that doing absolutely everything yourself is both cheap and wise.
Instead of investigating how much it might cost to hire a virtual assistant, we assume it’s way out of our budget range and plow ahead alone. Sometimes, if we do explore outsourcing, we convince ourselves that it’s an expensive luxury and go back to flying solo.
As you might imagine, this drives me CRAZY. Here’s why:
Outsourcing is an investment, not an expense
You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase, “You’ve gotta spend money to make money.”
Know why it’s been said billions of times, elevating it to cliche status?
Because it’s TRUE!
Imagine a tiny one-woman cupcake shop that starts getting dozens more orders than it can handle. Now imagine the entrepreneur refused to hire additional bakers and sales people, and insisted on keeping the same overtaxed ovens and equipment. Bonkers, right?
Even if your business is 100% virtual, the metaphor still holds true. If you refuse to invest in skilled labor and much-needed support, thinking of such things as expenses instead of investments, you’re stunting the growth of your own business.
Yes, outsourcing means money out the door … but it’s money you must spend if you ever want to bolster your overall income. It’s not the same as buying printer ink and laptop cords; it’s not a sunk cost. When you invest in outsourcing, you position yourself to make more money. Period.
Outsourcing makes your business stronger
You are the heart and soul of your business, no doubt about that. But you have a limited set of experiences, ideas, and skills.
When you outsource, bringing in freelancers with a variety of talents and backgrounds, you automatically get access to new ways of thinking, new resources, and new solutions. (Assuming you actually talk with your team members and ask for their input!)
Your VA may know about scheduling or marketing tools you’ve never even heard of. Your graphic designer may be able to optimize your images for SEO. Your writer may suggest ways to position yourself as a subject-matter expert that you’d never considered.
Alone, you can only do so much. With a team, your business is instantly made more robust and resilient.
Outsourcing makes entrepreneurship more enjoyable
When you hire a virtual assistant and a talented ghostwriter and several other skilled team members to support your business, you can focus on the tasks that you love doing.
You can dedicate your energy to the work you’re naturally good at doing, and entrust everything else to your team. Imagine how GREAT that will feel! To filter out those tasks that must get done, but that you dread tackling, and dive into the rewarding, fulfilling aspects of your business.
And! Having a team that can celebrate wins and commiserate over setbacks makes everything about entrepreneurship feel more grounded and real. Even if you’re a self-reliant introvert, you will likely appreciate having contractors who help, consult, understand, and support you in every way.
When you make the decision to outsource, you’re making the decision to invest in your business.
When you shift your mindset away from expenses and toward investing in your ideas and offerings, you’re enabling growth. When you hire contractors to support you, you’re showing that your entrepreneurial optimism is still going strong!
When you commit to a monthly business planning process, you and your freelancers will be more effective and FAR less stressed!
xoxo
Melissa
PS. I Can’t Make Your To-Do List Go Away…But My Business Templates Library Will Help You Avoid Project Overwhelm So You Can Build Your Business, Free Up Your Time, and Put More Money in Your Pocket!
