I have recently started my own business, and feel like I've come to a crossroad. The company isn't big enough to hire someone full-time but I definitely need help in certain areas. Do you have any suggestions?
Pamela K. emailed us at expert@sweetspot.ca and Erin Green and Marni Sky of the MAVEN Network, answered:
When to outsource experts to take your business to the next level:
Selecting the right people and having them “sit on the right seat of the bus” for any business owner is no easy task.
So when is it a good idea to bring in an expert?
Stay focused on strength: In general, it's best for businesses to keep focused on what they are passionate about - be it a savvy handbag designer, a chef extraordinaire or a software developer - the entrepreneur may not have the level of expertise to run the operations. It’s best to streamline his/her attention to making the product or service at hand and allow outsourced professionals to help grow the business.
Tipping Point: These companies are usually those who need the most assistance. For companies at this stage in maturation, it is either sink or swim and having the right expertise can be the key ingredient to catapulting your business to the next level.
Ready to Launch: Having the appropriate professionals to set you up in your infancy is an integral part of a company’s success. Examples of what services can be outsourced are: web design, PR, social media, marketing and many more. These experts are best used as interim skilled professionals. They can parachute in to help and then exit when you are set up.
Stagnant Growth: We live in a fast paced world where in the blink of an eye things like technology or traditional marketing change by the minute. There are also experts that specialize in understanding current market trends, another area where outsourcing an expert can be a strategic move.
MAVEN, a new networking business, connects growing businesses with talented professionals who could assist them on the road to success.
Erin and Marni use their instinctive matchmaking skills with chemistry in mind, to introduce clients to a vast network of experts.
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