There is a saying out there that says that entrepreneurs are the only ones willing to work 80 hours per week to avoid working 40. I laugh every time I hear it but, from what I've seen, it's totally true! I don't know about you, but the freedom and flexibility is totally worth it to me! On the other hand, it's so important to regain some of that time to make sure you avoid burnout. A stressed-out Momma isn't fun for anyone! 

Friend, you don't need to work 80 hours a week to have a profitable business! 

You don't need to work harder, maybe you just need to work smarter!

Did you know that 90% of small business owners throw in the towel? This statistic always makes me sad, because what if they were just right on the other side of a big break-through? What if they gave up just too soon? What if they had held on a little longer? Would they have realized the success they dreamed of? How would their life have been changed forever?

I make it my goal to make sure you are not one of the 90%. You have the power and potential, you just don't know how to get there yet, and that's totally understandable! This business and brand building thing is tough work, especially when you're doing it all on your own.

How everything changed for me.

Everything changed for me when I decided to invest in the support I needed to really take my business to the next level. 

Think about it. Most businesses have a specific person to handle sales, a specific person for marketing, a specific person for accounting, a specific person for IT... the list goes on and on!! 

But the reality is that you have.... YOU! You've been going at this alone and it's overwhelming. Actually providing your service is only a small part of running your business.

I know you're probably thinking... "yeah, but I can't afford to hire employees. I'm struggling to even book enough work to support my family!" I get that too!

Today I'm sharing with you 8 things you can outsource without breaking the bank to help you overcome the burn-out. Because although you may not be able to hire full-time (or even part-time) employees, you can outsource tasks to lighten your load, freeing you up to do more of what you love (and what actually makes you money) - your service!

1. Design & Branding - Providing a killer service isn't enough anymore. Actually, the most successful businesses are not the ones with the best services, they are the ones who are perceived as having the best services! I know that's a little depressing as a business owner, but it's totally true! When's the last time you went to a website only to be disappointed in how difficult it was to use? That same website may have left you underwhelmed and wondering if that business really knew what they were talking about. Are they any good at what they do?
   
   All of these thoughts begin with a poorly designed website and a poorly executed brand.
   
   The truth is that, oftentimes, the most successful businesses are the ones who look the part. They are the ones who make people feel good about working with them. Does your brand speak amazing things about the services you provide? ooking the part is crucial and this is one area where hiring a professional really is worth it. Don't lose sales because you blend in... make sure you stand out for good! 
    
2. House Cleaning - This is a super simple way that you can free up some time without spending too much. Even if you just invest in a house cleaner once and month or once every other month to do the detail cleaning, this means you won't have to! Every hour you can save is totally worth it! Now you have more time with your family on the weekends AND a clean house... which is a win-win! 
    
3. Buying Pre-Prepped Food - This one is my favorites because it's super cheap and I can still feed my family quality meals (and avoid the mom guilt for those fast-food runs)! I have recently discovered pre-sliced/chopped veggies in my local grocery store produce section. I know it sounds trivial, but not having to spend time chopping veggies saves me time for a VERY minimal expense (it costs me an extra $5-10 per week... if that!). I also have discovered pre-prepared foods like meatloaf, stuffed peppers, bacon wrapped meats ready to be grilled, etc. Also, Trader Joes has some great and healthy prepared freezer meals that are ready to just be thrown in the crock-pot or instant pot! Guys, saving an hour each day on cooking time is my jam. I'm loving it!
    
4. Virtual Assistant - Hiring a virtual assistant can change your life. I don't mean to sound dramatic... but seriously. Those mundane tasks that you do every day are not worth your time! You can hire a virtual assistant in the United States for between $10-30 per hour. You can hire a virtual assistant outside of the country for about $3-9 per hour. Now don't even tell me that you can't afford a few hours per week at that price. Make sure to be wise when hiring your VA (not all are crated equal), have a plan for them, and start off small. It is true that you get what you pay for, so just consider your tasks and see what option is right for you and your budget.
    
5. Business Strategy/Coaching - Having someone in your corner to fight for you when the overwhelm begins to sink in is SO important! This is a person who will talk with you regularly to help you set up strategy and systems to stay focused on and on task. Oftentimes, having someone look at your business form the outside can lend a totally new perspective that is needed to grow to the next level. They should also help you with your mindset, because that is a HUGE part of running a successful business!
    
6. Writing - Sometimes writing just doesn't come naturally and that's ok. It's important to be able to pinpoint our strength and weaknesses and build our business accordingly. Social media posts, Facebook ads, blog posts, and website copy is all important in engaging your ideal client and making sales. Hiring a professional writer can be a game changer for you and your business.
    
7. Accounting - Finances, taxes, and accounting makes my mind go a little (ok, a LOT) mushy. Even if you can't afford monthly help right now, make sure to hire someone to teach you how to set up your finances correctly, how to balance your books correctly, and how to prepare for tax season correctly. This will save you tons of time (and money), at the end of the year. Plus it will save you the headache of trying to figure it out yourself. My accountant provides hourly training and support for about $60 per hour. This may sound like a lot, but just a couple hours of training can go a long way.
    
8. Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate! - There is a famous proverb that says if you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together. Collaboration is a great way to build traction in your business without spending money! Is there someone you can work with to help both of you grow your following? Can you guest blog on another biz site to help get the word out about you and your services (and a little tip... guest posting and linking back to you website builds your SEO big time)? Think outside the box and make real relationships with other business owners who have the same ideal client as you!

Counting the cost. 

Is outsourcing worth it for you? It's a good idea to figure out how much your time is worth per hour before you decide if outsourcing is worth it for you. Start by thinking about how many hours you work with a client throughout the duration of your time together in order to properly provide your services to them. 

Let's say you have a 12 week program where you spend about 2 hours of working time per week on each client (one hour of 1:1 calls and one hour of prep/follow up work). Let's also say that it takes you about 2-3 hours of time to book the sale (discovery calls, emailing invoices, email follow up, etc), and then 1-2 hours of followup after the service is done to collect testimonials, finalize accounting, etc. We can estimate that each client will require about 28 hours of your time. 

If you charge $5,000 for this 3 month service, then we know that your time is roughly worth $178 per hour. 

Now all of a sudden, you know that booking clients and utilizing your time to provide that service for your clients is TOTALLY worth a little outsourcing!

This equation will look a little different for everyone, but the basic outline is the same for every service based business. If you don't know your hourly rate, I highly recommend that you figure it out today!

Sandra

PS. Are you ready to gain the support you need to smash through your glass ceilings and take your brand to a new level... completely transforming your business??? Let's chat! I'd love to get to know more about your business and how I can help you.

Book a free call with me now!

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