This is the text of my guest article which appeared in the October 2009 edition of the Edge Business Magazine in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
“If only I didn’t have to work with some of these people,” you’ve thought. “I wish I could just start my own business and be on my own.” It’s a mental cry repeated by many. But here’s your warning about the grass on my side of the fence: the Midwestern determination to “go it alone” can do more to hold you back than to propel you. If you want to run a successful business, you can’t really be “on your own.”
Mr. Know it All
I was like most people starting out in business; money was tight and I looked for ways to do it all on my own. In 2004, after a few years of testing the waters part time, my communications consulting business became my full-time job and I held on to the belief that I could do everything.
After a few months of full-time entrepreneurship, I began to realize that there was plenty I could use help with, but it was a tough decision to finally take action.
Here’s a look at some of what I’ve learned over the years and how I’ve acted on it. You can apply these lessons whether you’re self-employed or leading a large organization.
Know your tricks
Deciding what regular business tasks to keep in-house and what to push away requires an honest talk with yourself about your strengths, weaknesses and desires. Why did you go into business in the first place? What tasks do you (or your staff) do well, and not so well? Find ways to answer those questions that will move your business forward, while casting off the time-sucking tasks that numb your brain or detour your staff.
Take time to find trustworthy people when looking for help, but set a deadline. Ask other business owners for recommendations.
My first big step was to hire a tax adviser. I realized the time spent to keep on top of the W-whatever forms was time I could better spend on billable, enjoyable, creative work with my clients.
Get help
If taking on a project for a client means looking beyond your in-house skills to ensure success, do it.
For a time, I only accepted projects I could complete on my own. Today, I engage people with special talents to help get the job done. For example, I have created many Web sites, but I don’t claim to know every programming language, so I occasionally call in a programmer.
My voice is heard all over the country on telephone systems (plus radio and TV ads, training videos and more), but it’s only my male, baritone voice. I knew that my On-Hold Message production service could grow if I offered a great female voice, too. It turned out that making a connection with an old friend to be my female voice option gave both of our businesses a boost.
Subcontracting specialized skills can yield success for you, your clients and your subs, plus it adds to your firm’s capabilities for the next elevator speech. Your subcontractors also benefit. They earn money and expand their portfolio – which means they’ll get more jobs elsewhere – making them even more valuable the next time you bring them in. (If it’s work you do often, help the economy and create a new job.)
Win together
I believe we can be more competitive as businesses and help others succeed by crafting win-win-win situations.
Right now, I’m building marketing partnerships with select companies to expand awareness of a service line and generate new business for everyone involved:
Win No. 1: My marketing partners benefit by adding a needed service to their portfolios and increasing revenue as a reseller of my services. They also enjoy customer contact and recurring revenue opportunities by selling updates to the service.
Win No. 2: End customers benefit by receiving a needed, revenue-generating service as part of a complete solution from a single vendor.
Win No. 3: I increase sales without having to hit the streets as a salesperson. My marketing partners will be my sales force. I get a greater return on my marketing investment by targeting partners, compared to blanket marketing on my own.
Realizing that being in business on your own doesn’t mean working alone, pushed me toward my toughest decision. Today, my decision to reach out is opening new doors for my business.
