I have touched base on this several times but felt compelled to write a new blog about the subject.
Support can appear in so many ways in business, whether that is financially, mentally, or physically, and is often hard to accept. Many people believe accepting support is a sign of weakness, when in fact it is a sign of strength.
As independent business owners, and the self-employed, quite often the mindset is that you have to do everything yourself. You have multiple hats that you need to wear, and you need to be able to do everything in some way, shape or form. The thought of accepting that you are not good at everything and handing over elements of your business is hard! Really hard!
Just imagine though, how much strength it would take to do this, to ask someone for help and get the right person to support you in the elements of your business that you struggle with? Think about it, every single person excels at something, and no one is perfect at everything, so why struggle with the tasks you find hard when you can ask for support and get someone to help you with them? Ultimately leaving you to focus on what you are really good at and what you love doing.
This week I’m talking you through my top 3 tips on how to ask for and get the right support for you in your business.
Make a list of all the tasks you are carrying forward onto every ‘to do’ list.
You know which tasks I mean, the ones you just keep putting off and putting off because you either don’t really know how to do them or you just don’t enjoy them.
These are the tasks that you would be best outsourcing. I would never suggest you outsource the things you enjoy, otherwise what would be the point in doing what you love? When we continuously put off doing something, it is often because we either don’t really want to do the task because we don’t enjoy it or we know that it is something that we are not particularly good at. Why should we be wasting our time on these things, when there are tasks in our business that we love doing and we are extremely good at.
That is the joy of working for ourselves, we can pick up the fun things and outsource the boring things. As so many say, ‘one mans junk is another mans treasure’ and this is the case with work. What you find boring, someone else will LOVE! We are all different and we all shine at different things. If you are struggling stop worrying about the things you are not as good at and start focusing on the things that you can do well and that will make you feel good.
I always remember years ago when I started a new job. We had to do one of those personality test things, the ones where there’s no right or wrong answer and it tells you your strengths and weaknesses. I always panic doing those things, I didn’t get a job I really wanted when I first finished university because I wasn’t the right ‘fit’ according to the personality test, so I always worried that I’d be judged. However, this particular time I did get the job and they talked me through the results of the test. My boss at the time explained to me that they would never focus on the characteristics that I scored low on, and they would push me and challenge me in the things I scored well on. This was because they didn’t want me to be okay at everything, they wanted me to be amazing at a few things! This stuck with me and made me realise that it is actually okay to be not so great at something, and that working on the things you are good at and really pushing yourself to achieve in this area is better for you mentally than trying to juggle all the things you are not as good at, and ultimately always questioning your worth over something you just aren’t interested in.
Your confidence in your business is what sets you apart from the competition. You know what you are doing, you know what you can achieve, and take away those jobs that you aren’t as good at and mentally you will feel so much better, knowing that you are the best at what you are doing.
Reach out to your community groups
Once you have separated out those jobs that you feel ready to outsource, who is better suited to be able to advise you about the kind of support you might need, or the people best suited to work with you, than those who understand your industry, your clients and your own mindset. As I mentioned before, asking for help is a sign of strength and is a sign that your business is thriving and you need as much help as you can to keep on top of the work load.
A thriving business is great and knowing and accepting that you need the help to increase your capacity or do a better job nurturing your current clients is something to really shout about. So, don’t be afraid to ask your communities if they know any VA’s, freelancers etc. anyone who specialises in the jobs you have written down above.
It is important to find someone to support you who knows your business as they will understand your clients, how you work and what is important to you.
Personally, I will only work with people I feel a connection to. I don’t just work for anyone based on the fact that I might need the business. I like to carefully consider who I work with so that our relationship can grow, we are aligned in what we want to achieve, and we both enjoy working together. Never feel that you have to go with any freelancer, just because they have come recommended. You choose the right fit for you and your business, because ultimately this will save you time, effort and money when you find the right person.
Consider it as an investment. You are spending your well-earned cash on this person, make sure they are the right fit.
Buddy up with someone
I love having accountability buddies. They really help to keep me focussed and as an independent business owner and someone who spends a lot of time in the office alone, they also give me a sounding board for ideas, concerns, advice and struggles.
I worked for years in hospitality, so no matter what time of day it was there was always someone around to talk to. Whether it was a colleague, a guest or a contractor, I always had someone to turn to if I was struggling or just to have a chat. Working alone can be extremely lonely, especially at the moment when social interactions are limited.
So if ever you find yourself feeling low, feeling unfocussed or feeling overwhelmed having someone who is in the same situation as yourself can really help your mental health.
Our friends and family are amazing, and whilst mine support me massively they don’t always understand what it is like to be self-employed. To rely purely on myself and my abilities to bring in an income. It is nice to have other women in the same situation to talk to, and often we just video chat whilst working as if we are in the same office. It works brilliantly for me to help bring myself back into alignment with my business and ensure my focus and energy is in the right place to tackle the weeks ahead.
All I’m trying to say is don’t struggle alone when there are so many like minded business owners out there. We are all around to help and support one another to grow and excel. Women supporting women, small businesses supporting small businesses. Together we can thrive!
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