Admitting you need help is the first step. The second step is planning forward what help you will need / want when.
For example: if you're bootstrapping it makes sense to use a second-hand photocopier yourself; at some future point, all things going to plan, your business will need a more reliable machine being operated by your secretary. Most business owners make that decision reactively - they wait until the old copier dies or they're too stressed out and need admin support.
Great business owners put in a little bit of time to capacity planning, so they have the milestones (eg, when I hit $X revenue per month for 3 consecutive months) for adding resource to maintain profitability and sustainable growth. As a spreadsheet-literate business geek, helping them do that planning is one of the more fun elements of my career.
Of course, my career would be more profitable is more business owners read Jesse's blog, and made that first step.
Comments
Admitting you need help is the first step. The second step is planning forward what help you will need / want when.
For example: if you're bootstrapping it makes sense to use a second-hand photocopier yourself; at some future point, all things going to plan, your business will need a more reliable machine being operated by your secretary. Most business owners make that decision reactively - they wait until the old copier dies or they're too stressed out and need admin support.
Great business owners put in a little bit of time to capacity planning, so they have the milestones (eg, when I hit $X revenue per month for 3 consecutive months) for adding resource to maintain profitability and sustainable growth. As a spreadsheet-literate business geek, helping them do that planning is one of the more fun elements of my career.
Of course, my career would be more profitable is more business owners read Jesse's blog, and made that first step.
Mine too. :P