One of the hardest parts of being your
own boss is how much work there is to do to keep your business growing.
As entrepreneurs we tend to wear many different hats: the maker/doer, sales, marketing, bookkeeping, shipping/receiving, etc. The best thing you can do for yourself and your business is to know when to bring in help. Whether it’s hiring an employee, outsourcing tasks, or partnering up with another company, finding and hiring qualified help is vital to your growth.
I saw something the other day that said, “I didn’t want to work a 9 to 5 job so I started my own business. Now I work 24/7”. This is so true. Especially at the beginning when you are first starting out and putting in the work. But eventually those long hours and endless tasks will start to wear on you and you can easily lose your passion. When you lose your passion for your business it just starts to feel like work.
I know.
I went through the same thing when I became a photographer. I have loved to take pictures since I got my first camera at 14. I saw everything around me as if it was through a lens. Capturing those moments gave me great joy so I thought for sure that being a photographer was my true calling and I set out to make it happen.
And I did.
Sherri Paxton Photography was born and soon I was booked solid with engagement shoots, family photo sessions and weddings. Then it became overwhelming as I was trying to do it all, while also keeping my full time job and becoming a first time parent to a 13 year old boy.
Soon I was miserable, staying up until 1:00 in the morning editing hundreds of photos; fully booked weekends when all I wanted to do was hang out with and get to know my new son. Then I had a major back injury that made it impossible for me to follow a bride around for 12 hours and I had to give it up.
I felt relieved.
Because it had gone from being my passion to being a burden. It had become nothing more than a job. And it makes me sad that to this day, 10 years later, I still haven’t picked my camera back up just for fun.
Looking back there were so many things I should have done differently. Outsourcing would be the main thing. Hiring another photographer would have relieved some of the stress, letting someone else do the editing would have freed up my time, hiring someone to do my marketing, especially my social media would have been a game changer. I realize now that I don’t need to do ALL the things. And neither do you!
Start by asking yourself, “what part of running the business do I like the least?”, that’s a good place to start. For me, social media for myself was the hardest. Being consistent has always been my pain point when it comes to my own business. I can be on task and consistent and timely and ridiculously organized for my clients, but when it comes to my own company I am truly the cobbler who has no shoes.
So, when I was recently doing some social media work for one of my clients and they started having people notice and ask who was doing the work and sending referrals my way, I panicked. Because I knew that Social Media was my weakest marketing skill. So I went out and found help. I’m determined to not make the same mistakes I made 10 years ago. When I need help I am going to ask for it.
And man, did I get lucky.
Meet Our Thrive Tribe
I met JoAnna through a marketing agency I work with. She was their social media and directories expert. She went far out of her way to help me with some complicated situations and we became fast friends. When I heard she had left the company to start her own business I immediately reached out. I knew I wanted to keep her in my circle. She introduced me to her business partner Sarah, and it all clicked. I knew I had found my tribe.
These ladies just get it.
They have the same mindset as I do when it comes to marketing and small businesses - that we are helpers.
We just truly and deeply want to help small businesses grow. Yes, making money is nice, but the true reward is watching our clients learn and flourish with our help. Teaming up with Our Thrive Tribe has helped me grow my business by expanding my service offering to now include all aspects of marketing - traditional and digital. And I have gained a tribe I can rely on so that I can continue doing the parts of my business I love the most, working one-on-one with my clients and creating marketing and business strategies. With Jo and Sarah on board I know all the social media aspects are in excellent hands.
So, when you start to feel overwhelmed, please look around you and ask yourself who you could bring on to take some of the burden off of you. Because being an entrepreneur is about being passionate about what you do. Don’t let any of it become a burden. Bring in the big guns.
And if you need help with any type of marketing, design or social media, contact us now. We are here to help.
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