How do you utilize others to grow your business when you are a solo business owner?

A business associate of mine gave me a great image for how to involve others in the growth of a business when you are the only employee of the business.  She used the image of a wheel.  Every wheel has a center with spokes attached to it and the outside tire. The spokes give the wheel stability and strength.

What are the three parts of the wheel in a business?

The tire is the business systems and activities that keep your business moving forward toward your targeted growth.  The tire makes things run smoothly and efficiently.

The center of the wheel is you…the business owner.  Everything about the business is connected to you.  The center of the wheel also connects to the rest of the vehicle, your business.

Then the spokes are the connection points between you and all the systems and activities of the business.

As a business coach, I’ve worked with a lot of clients to find creative ways to accomplish all these systems and activities in the transitions of growth. It is really hard for a business owner to grow without doing this, but the big questions are how and when.

One person can only do so much before burning out. And a wheel without spokes is really only a tire.  Where am I going with all of this?  There are ways to get people in place to become the spokes necessary for the strength of your business.  These people make it possible for you to do what you are most passionate about in your business.

Here’s is how I do it and how I coach my clients to do it.

First, Identify Your Passion

First, identify what you love to do most in your business. Once you are clear on that, determine all the other things that need to be done, but frustrate you and take time away from what you love.

Second, Outsource To Others

After you are clear on this, begin looking for others in your network who maybe need your business and who are experts in the part of your business you don’t like.  Have a discussion with them about bartering for services.

The key to this is that you both need and would pay money for each others services if you were able to do so. Then work out the details of what each of you needs and what the expectations are. I like to get these in writing along with the dollar amount for each of the services.  I always insist that each do the work at their full rate, no discounts. Both parties are way more likely to stay happy with the arrangement. Once you arrive at a workable balance, begin to work together.

I do this for my Social Media Marketing and my website. Many businesses will do this with accounting, bookkeeping, administrative tasks, consulting, coaching, workshops, parties, catering and many more.

Be creative with your barters and strategic so they actually accomplish the tasks that grow your business. Also, by knowing the BP10 talents and styles you can round out a powerful well balanced team for your business.  Who knows, you may even grow enough to be able to pay for staff eventually because of great barters which get you through the transitions of growth.

What barter do you need in order to focus your efforts more strategically on your business? Schedule a free session with me and let’s discuss!

Let me know what you think!  Message From Cheryl