Small business owners, especially in the beginning, find they are doing something they do not enjoy as much as 30 percent of the time. This can be one of the unfortunate side effects of being the boss. By owning your own business you often have to accept the responsibility for tasks that do not interest you or simply bore you. You may be doing your own bookkeeping or inventory. You may have to order your own supplies or clean your office bathrooms. In a typical growth plan, this is not a scenario that should last forever. As soon as possible, you should be doing what you do best and delegate or outsource the rest.
There are some very good reasons why small business owners should stick to doing what they do best. Most importantly, it is because it brings them the most joy. That is what it means to “love your business.” The more you enjoy what you are doing the more worthwhile living the small business lifestyle will be. Let’s face it, owning your own business is not always easy. The more you can do what you truly enjoy the more likely you are to enjoy being a business owner.
The second reason for doing what you do best, is that it is your highest and best use. This thing you do best is often the service, ability, or talent that inspired you to open your business in the first place. It may be the business. Any time you are doing anything but that which you do best you are not nudging the business forward towards more sales, more clients, more revenue and more profit. If you focus on what you do best you will reach your business goals more quickly. The more quickly you meet your goals, the more likely you can afford to do only that which you enjoy most.
If you need more reasons than those above, you can include: when you feel most confident; when you feel the least resistance; when you make the fewest mistakes; or when tasks are accomplished more quickly.
If you are not in a place where you can delegate or outsource, make sure you are working towards goals that will allow you to do so. Identify what you will outsource or delegate first. Update your budget to include the costs of hiring or outsourcing. Know what it will take to get you to that place, and get there as quickly as possible.
You can also check out our 6-Step Planning Guide for small businesses, which will help you create and execute an effective action plan for your business in 12 months.