In a small business, money is tight. So out of the necessity to save money, we attempt many jobs ourselves. In doing so, we spend hours learning how, doing slowly, correcting and finally being somewhat dissatisfied with the outcome because of what we weren’t doing – servicing our customers and making money.
Experts in their field add value to your business which is not always immediately recognizable. They also come with a price tag. Oscar Wilde said it beautifully in relation to cynics but it may apply equally to many business owners – “A cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”
If you are in the rut of trying to do everything yourself try coming at the problem from a different angle. Try seeing the value of the service when properly provided by a trusted professional instead of its price tag. Effective and efficient professionals will save you time and money in the long run and enable you to look after the people who mean the most to your business – your customers. The last thing you want to do as a business owner is to be stuck doing the accounts when you could be spending time landing the next big deal.
So, once you’ve found a trusted professional whose services you might use, begin to build the relationship. Offer them small, affordable jobs and see how they handle these. Then see how you feel about the value equation these offers you. If it’s working for you, keep at it.
One of the reasons small businesses fail is owner exhaustion. Get a loan, work on your cash flow or even consider a barter arrangement but whatever you do – don’t dig an early grave for your business because you didn’t ask for help.
