Comments on Small Biz Survival: Finding your focus in small business

Let's talk about delegating for a moment. If y...

2009-10-13T13:55:22.911-05:00

Let's talk about delegating for a moment. If you don't grow the business up to the point it can pay for its own help, then that business is a candidate to abandon. If you can grow it up, then let it hire, either on payroll or on contract as appropriate. This may require some folks to change their thinking, as many of us entrepreneurs have a "I'll do it all myself" attitude.

In another way of thinking, here are 10 ways to delegate without hiring.

Delegate to whom? Most of the small business owner...

2009-10-13T12:23:23.858-05:00

Delegate to whom? Most of the small business owners and farmers I know are owner operators and hire folks on an as needed basis. We have no full or even part time labor other than ourselves.
I believe I'll put the old fashioned pencil to paper, columns of pro and con and see what I can figure out. I think it's going to be a lot easier than I've been anticipating. -smile-

Becky, Isn't it interesting that the answers ...

2009-10-12T16:09:02.155-05:00

Becky,

Isn't it interesting that the answers are so simple but putting them into practice seems to be so difficult? You gave such great advice when you wrote "create the systems that enable you to delegate most of it." So why don't we do it?

Perhaps we just don't like to do the little things because, let's face it, they can be quite tedious and boring. Maybe it is just a matter of paying all of our attention to the squeaky wheel and forgetting about it in the process. It could be that we just don't really understand how powerful creating that system can be.

What a shame that we keep ourselves burdened down with the day-to-day activities of running our small businesses. In the end, I guess it is just too easy to put it off.

Brad

I am constantly dancing between 3/5 different work...

2009-10-12T09:17:57.918-05:00

I am constantly dancing between 3/5 different work adventures and some days wonder what the heck I am doing. But I cannot seem to stop myself from seeking out the diversification and variety that each one adds to my life!
Want the list?
1988: TAV Creations : custom sewing and design

1998/99: Halyma's Belly Dancing For Fun - classes and performances plus the TAV Creations website went up so that I could keep up with the times regarding the first business!

2008/2009 Eco-TAV manifested itself in my life as my newest adventure where I design and produce environmentally friendly food bags and more.

Adventures 4 and 5 are subsets with overlapping power:
1 - Ottawa Dancers Bazaar - I organize this event twice a year to sell my own stuff [ along with the 30 other vendors I bring in] and bring together the Belly dance community in Ottawa and beyond!
2 - Ottawa Centre Class Party: again twice a year I organize this, it is a big dance recital that again promotes my belly dance classes and skills along with about 10 other teachers and their student groups in the Ottawa area!

And this past year has been a head first dive into blogging, social media, online discoveries and exploration - I just don't know how - nor do I want to step back from any of it!

It is all part of who I am, but some days ....

There is a TED talk about a different approach to success by Alain de Botton. It inspired me to keep going with all of my fun, but cutting myself some slack while doing it!

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/alain_de_botton_a_kinder_gentler_philosophy_of_success.html