If you have the will to succeed, by far the most important skills to build are those related to how to recognize, attract and leverage talent for your firm. This is the only skill that will free up the time required for you to focus on the growth of the business, which is the absolute, and most important of all the things you as the owner need to do. The earlier in the career you focus on that, the easier your path ahead.
By the way, 🧐, have you read part 1? If not, catch it HERE
Once you hire your first staff and figure out how to work together (that’s a whole other 1000 words and some!), take another look at that priorities list and switch it up as fast as possible to this 👇
BEST PRIORITY LIST FOR SUCCESS
If you’re ready to do it better, here is how your priority list should be and why:
- grow the “baby” that the business is. Shape its personality, its values, its skills, get it out in the world and make it shine
If you got this down, this one item could give you great material for marketing and PR to existing and potential clients. Then you do not have to sweat over each random insta post that does not fit in some bigger plan
- secure future job spin-offs from the existing jobs
The existing clients you won them already. Nourish that relationship because it is the fastest way to get more work
- get jobs
Sales, sales, sales. Reach out and network. Forget that perfect brochure, get in front of people, talk and mingle
- figure out tech support and troubleshoot
Well, this one you have to do. But in this era of apps and technical self-help, you should need a minimal learning curve to virtually manage 99% of issues that may come up
- cover business admin and operations
You have to do some of this, but you should really consider a part-time bookkeeper and a yearly accountant. It’s money well spent.
- marketing (which more often than not is naively reduced to advertising or worse, social media or even worse!!… Instagram!!)
Sales, sales, sales. Reach out and network. Forget that perfect brochure, get in front of people, talk and mingle
- get our there and do PR (yes, it is different than marketing and advertising)
Another talk and mingle task. Talk to the right people that can spread the word about your firm and the beautiful things you do. Media, press, and associations interested in what you do are all hungry for helpful knowledge. You have plenty; get out there and share.
- deal with HR, because the second you have staff, there are staff-related tasks
The fact that this is down the list does not make it less critical for the general business operations. It is down the list because it should not take too long of your time. Set up rules and motivate your staff to feel like they are in your family. Because you are all a family and like any other, dynamics and individual happiness is what counts.
- deliver on the jobs
Remember the many hours reviewing co-workers’ work? Figure out an efficient way to do this. It is needed, but there is no point in doing it slower than it should. Figure out what the fastest way to systematize staff interactions is to deliver on the project, and you’re good!
Bottom line: for all the tasks you do, constantly assess cost versus your time. (see what’s coming up on this below 👇)
Your time should go into those tasks that cannot be delegated and nothing else. That’s how you get to live the proverbial “good life” that business owners are deemed to have.
This article first appeared in My 2 cents on design
how to curate a better lifestyle through design
part of POWER \\ a DOCHIA FOCUS monthly lifestyle series