As business owners, we can put immense pressure on ourselves to do everything on our own.
Have you ever considered outsourcing anything as a business owner?
When you are in an employed position, if you need someone to help you with an IT issue, you may have a tech team on hand. If you need to find something out about finances, you may have a bookkeeper or a finance team.
Suddenly, as business owners, we can feel like we don’t have a support system in place; to help us with all areas of our business that we may not be confident in or that we may not have time to do.
There is lots of support out there, some even free! My local council offers a free session with a business advisor and even offers business grants. They can help guide you to what you could potentially outsource.
Nowadays, there is a lot of virtual support, either as a one-off or as ongoing support. Some of the things that you could outsource; include your:
Business finance – bookkeeper or accountant
Administrative tasks – Virtual Assistant
Social media – Social media manager or a VA that offers it as a service
Research – Research firm or a VA that offers this as a service
Human Resources – an HR specialist
There is plenty more that you could outsource, so don’t feel pressured to do it all yourself.
If you can’t afford to outsource, there is a lot of free support on the internet. If for example, you want advice from an accountant, follow them on social media, as some regularly do posts that include tips. Join free Facebook groups within your industry, as they can potentially advise you on anything you are stuck with. Don’t forget to look at the government website, as that has lots of information for businesses, including helplines: Get help and support for your business – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If you feel that you only need ad hoc support, there are lots of people that offer their support on an ad hoc basis. If you don’t know what exact support you need, ask by writing a social media post. I have seen several posts from people asking things like- I am looking for someone who can help me whilst I am recruiting for a new member of staff – does this exist? They then receive lots of replies.
Outsourcing can not only save you time but can also ensure that you are receiving expert support in the relevant industry.
To see some of the benefits of outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant, please check out my previous blog: Virtual Assistant (ghvirtualassistant.co.uk)