Many entrepreneurs go into business with passion and purpose.
Enthusiastically, they roll up their sleeves, and dive right into a state of feeling overwhelmed with multiple roles: visionary entrepreneur, marketer, service provider, financial manager, operations manager, sales manager, customer service representative, and general Mr.
or Ms.
I-Do-It-All.
Sound familiar? If so, you are in good company.
The majority of entrepreneurs fall into the "superhero syndrome" trap of trying to be and do everything.
The result is predictable.
Soon, details start to fall through the cracks, quality goes down, and burnout grabs a foothold.
While being 100% accountable is indeed a requirement of business ownership (and life in general, for that matter), trying to achieve all of that success on your own is one of the big culprits for the multitude of business failures.
How can you significantly up your odds? It is simply not necessary, or wise, to go it alone.
Accept now that entrepreneurship is a team sport, and begin to build your success team.
With a team, your business achieves brains, bandwidth, and a collective passion and energy.
What was once impossible becomes achievable.
"The average investor or small-business person loses financially because they do not have a team.
Instead of a team, they act as individuals who are trampled by very smart teams.
" - Robert Kiyosaki, author of the Rich Dad series Start with some genuine business planning.
Don't focus on getting warm bodies in to put out your fires.
Rather, try to envision what you want your business to look like when it achieves its ultimate goals - when the business is "done", so to speak.
Then create a list of all the roles that will be required for that business.
For example, a massage therapist may require the following roles to build a thriving practice: · Massage therapist(s) · Receptionist or customer service rep · Marketing manager · Bookkeeper · Tax preparer · Graphic artist · Web site designer · Virtual assistant · Legal counsel Our therapist obviously plays the first role, the actual massage therapy, but will have a choice regarding whether to play or delegate the other roles.
But which ones should he or she delegate? That depends on many factors, including whether our hypothetical therapist is planning on running a solo-practice or managing a practice with multiple therapists.
But, follow these rules of thumb and you'll be well on your way to creating a fantastic team: 1.
Play the role or roles that you are most passionate about.
These will include the activities that drew you into your business in the first place, and are therefore likely connected to your natural talents.
When I say "play" the role; I mean it.
Keep doing the work that feels like play to you, and your success will be greater.
2.
Delegate the roles where your time and skills create little value.
This is key - fill these roles with skilled people for whom the work also feels like play.
Again, as a result, their success and yours will be greater.
3.
If after doing the above, you are still overwhelmed - you have not delegated enough.
Keep analyzing and working on the design of your business and its team.
As a conscious entrepreneur, there is another important layer of responsibility that I challenge you to accept.
You also have a business responsibility to live your values by taking good care of yourself.
Yes, that is right - I want you to apply the same principles to create the lifestyle you want, to be good to yourself, and to nurture your body and spirit.
I want you to delegate activities that consume your time away from work and drain your energy.
Take our massage therapist again.
After a long day of nurturing the body and spirit of her clients, she wants to spend time in a lifestyle that nurtures her own, right? With what activities that drain her energy might she be able to get help? Use your imagination, but how about delegating these to others? · Yard work · Household repairs · Home improvement projects · Household cleaning · Laundry · Grocery shopping Again, she can choose to continue with those activities that feel like play, but start to delegate the ones that do not.
For example, she may tend her flower garden, but hire someone to cut the grass and trim the bushes.
In the process, she frees up energy to enjoy more of life on her own terms and, in the same stroke, becomes more energized and effective in her work.
Do you think that could lead to greater business success? You bet it can! About now you may be asking, "How can I afford to pay for all of this?" Well, start small and build from there.
Design what you want your business to ultimately look like, and then over time, build the team that matches that vision.
This means you will continue to play multiple roles, for now, while you work toward the team that was designed in your plan.
To address a state of overwhelm in your business, an excellent place to start is by hiring a Virtual Assistant or Virtual Marketer.
These trained professionals can quickly assume responsibility for numerous activities from administration to marketing-related projects.
Yes, you will invest in their time and contributions, but you will rapidly realize that you can get a great return on that investment in terms of results and your own energy.
As you build your team, remember that you must retain 100% responsibility for the business.
Share the responsibility by delegating, but never abdicate responsibility for your business and your dreams.
You are still ultimately accountable, and keeping that crystal clear will serve you and your team well.
Don't stay where you are today - overwhelmed and overworked, and still not achieving your goals.
Take a step forward into action.
Bring back some control and joy into the game by making time to start implementing the steps above in your business.
Good luck!