Getting Your Business Going in a Blaze

In the past few years there has been an increase in the number of people leaving the traditional workforce and becoming solopreneurs. Just like the name implies, going solo means managing and running every aspect of your business. Everything from sales and marketing to technology platforms and the delivery of services or products all falls on the shoulders of one person.

But this doesn’t have to be the case.

Striking out on your own, whether it’s providing a service like general contracting or house cleaning or selling a product in a storefront like baked goods or home decorations, is an exciting endeavor with a lot of moving parts that must be managed. This can initially seem overwhelming because there are so many things to think about and take care of that aren’t directly related to your product or service. Things like setting up email and a website, putting together a marketing plan and figuring out how you are going to tell people about your business are all important to your success.

This is where it becomes important to take a step back and decide where you should be focusing your time and energy, and where it makes sense to enlist the help of outside parties. There is an opportunity cost associated with everything you do for your business that is outside the core of what you do. This means that every time you update content on your website or put together a Facebook marketing campaign that is time that is taking away from the core things that make you money. However, these things are all important in order to keep your business growing and moving forward.

Partnering with someone who’s focus IS doing those things can be an important and strategic way to stay focused on your core competencies. For example, partner with an IT/Marketing company to manage your website content and customer acquisition strategy. When it’s time to file your taxes partner up with an Accounting firm. These things all cost money. But having someone who specializes in these functions will end up saving you time and ultimately money in the long run.

Owning your own business can be tough, but it’s not a journey that you must go on alone. Take a step back, decide what your focus should be in order to drive revenue, and then find good partners to handle the rest.

If you’re just getting started with your solo adventure, or even if you’ve been in business for a while and need to overhaul your website and marketing plan, look at our Small Business QuickStart.