When building a business, the number of hats an entrepreneur will wear can grow exponentially. Projects that seem like small easy to-dos can quickly spiral out of control. More time is spent chasing the day then productively moving through tasks.
I’ll guess that when you first set out to develop your line you didn’t envision starting a factory too. You knew that part needed to be outsourced. So what else can you look at in that way?
An easy path to getting started is to pull out your to-do list and highlight the things you enjoy or excel at. The items that are left could be good places to start. (Not to mention the items that never truly make it onto the list). Have you considered hiring help to run your social media? A sales rep to show your line? Or just getting an assistant?
These are added expenses, but they will be more than worth it if you can increase sales, get ahead on the next line, and generally be more productive at moving your business forward. Here are some areas to consider hiring in, finding an eager intern, or hiring an employee to help get the job done:
Marketing:
Just because you know your customer and business philosophy best doesn’t mean you always have the time to properly market to them. This can mean your social media posts are sporadic, graphics are lackluster, and website content nonexistent. There are many avenues to explore for help in this area from marketing firms to marketing students. Just make sure the person is on the same page as you but also brings something to the table. They should be going above and beyond what you are currently able to handle on your own.
Tech Packs & Patterns:
As a designer you have a great vision for your line. Once you’ve sketched it up or draped the garment going back to do the tech pack and/or pattern yourself may not be necessary. At JLD-Studios we work with many designers to turn their concept into detailed drawings for the factory to follow.
Fulfillment:
Do you have a warehouse in your garage used for repackaging and shipping orders? Whether it’s sending out orders to local shops, or handling individual online orders, this can get time consuming and take you away from the bigger picture. Hire a student interested in web or marketing and let them see the backend of an online business. Bonus if they can use the sales info to help you with marketing and website updates.
Finances:
Hopefully you have an accountant to help you at year end. That’s not the only time some extra financial help can come in handy. A bookkeeper can manage your expenses and invoices, or just come in monthly to review your books so year end is less dreadful. If you’re struggling to make sense of your numbers they can also be a valuable asset along with a good financial planner.
[ctt tweet=”Since cash is king, get financial help first if it isn’t one of your strengths. @MakersRow” coverup=”DRefy”]
Administration:
Scheduling, phone calls, filing, keeping track of where you’re getting what fabric and when it’s arriving. A good administrative assistant can be invaluable and worth their weight in gold. Think of all the instances you muttered, “I wish I had an assistant for this,” and start looking for one.
The list can go on and on, but hopefully these ideas get you thinking outside of your office. No matter how many “Productivity” articles you read and lists you make, sometimes hiring help or outsourcing is the only way to get it all done.
Parting thought:
[ctt tweet=”If someone else can get it done in half the time or for half the cost, you are saving more money in the long run! @MakersRow” coverup=”A_56y”]
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