More mistakes to avoid during your business start-up.
Last week, we covered the importance of planing for the future but not living in it, and making sure you have sufficient start-up capital to support you and your business, for the long haul. In this last segment, I’m going to cover what personnel to avoid, outsourcing, and when is it finally appropriate to think about stepping away, expanding or franchising.
Hire the right people for the job, NOT the people you like.
Many business people fall into the trap to staffing their new start-up with friends and relatives. In Reno’s economy, it can be very tempting to give a promising job to someone who is close to you. Unfortunately, that’s a serious mistake. Friends and relatives don’t always feel they have to take your orders, and if they don’t work out, asking them to leave can ruin a relationship.
It’s always best to hire a smart team of experienced people, who already know your industry and will do what the Boss tells them. One of your hiring goals should also be to find a manager who understands what you’re actually trying to accomplish, and to whom you can eventually, confidently, hand over the keys.
Know when to step away and look for other opportunities.
Great entrepreneurs instinctively know when to relinquish their CEO role. It isn’t ever easy, but it’s got to be done: entrepreneurs rarely make for great managers. Overseeing the daily minutia of a thriving business, just doesn’t seem to be compatible with the kind of mentality which finds excitement in challenges of launching a new enterprise.
Bare in mind that “stepping back” doesn’t mean taking your eyes off the ball. As you gradually hand over control to your management team, don’t feel shy about making your thoughts known or asking pointed questions, if you feel it absolutely necessary. But it’s always best to trust the people you’ve put in place, while you’re starting up a new endeavor or opening a new outlet.
Remember that no one person has all the answers. Even you.
It’s another easy trap to fall into: Thinking that if you’re smart enough to put all this together, there can’t be any facet of your business which you cannot master. And while that may be perfectly true for a tiny little minority, even they can’t be in all places at all times.
There are many disciplines and specialties which require a specific education or dedicated focus. Attorneys are not CPAs are not Copy Writers are not Engineers are not IT professionals are not Insurance professionals are not HR professionals are not Phone Answering professionals…
Outsource other entrepreneurs.
Never be afraid to outsource and hire business people smarter than you are, in their chosen fields. They most often cost less than hiring a full time employee to fill the role, and come trained, qualified, licensed and ready to roll.
Front Office Staff Reno now works directly with an excellent group of Business Advisors and supremely qualified Outsource Organizations. We’ve helped dozens of successful entrepreneurs free themselves from the need to hire full-time receptionists, and stand ready to help your start-up make the most of every penny you have to spend on telecommunications.
Call us up today at 775-353-6600 or 1-800-686-5746 for a free consultation and tailored answering service estimate. We’ll save you money and make you look great, to every single person who dials your number.
Have a great day,
Rena Zatica
10/01/12
