Since I set up my Advertising Agency in 1987, I have been networking with other small business owners for most of that time, and one thing that has always amazed me is the reluctance of many small business owners to ask for help. Most networking meetings have an abundance of people who can help small business owners including bookkeepers, HR consultants, Social Media specialists, LinkedIn support, business mentors and coaches – just to name a few – and yet most small business owners try and do everything themselves. STOP NOW!
I have said many times, we can’t be all things to all people. We have to understand what we are good at and what we are not good at and get the people in to help you with the stuff you are not good at.
You cannot run a business properly without help. You will have to pay for it, but then you don’t get good sound business advice, help and support for free. If you look at the long term picture, the people you ask to help with aspects of your business will end up saving you money in the long term as it will allow you to focus on what you are good at and what really brings the money in.
A good book I would recommend is the Emyth by Michael Gerber. Reading good business books is a great habit to get into. Build up a library then you are also in the position to pass on that help and support to other people. We can all be part of the revolution to help and support small business owners in the UK. There are currently about 4.5 million businesses who are termed as micro businesses- employ less than 10 people – and we all need to be part of the equation as time moves on to ensure these businesses stay in business and we encourage more people to start their own small businesses.
Most people start in business either through redundancy or because they get fed up making someone else money and them not being rewarded sufficiently, so they go off and do it on their own. They soon realise that as well as doing the job they once did, they now have to be a bookkeeper, a sales person, a marketing person, doing social media. You cannot do it all. You are not experienced to do it all. Please ask for help. It will save you money in the long term. Just make sure you check the credentials of the people you get in to help and support your business.
WE ARE ALL LOOKING FOR OUR KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR, BUT IF WE DON’T PROPERLY CHECK THE CREDENTIALS OF THOSE WHO WE ASK FOR HELP FROM, WE COULD END UP WITH AN IMPOSTER WRAPPED IN TIN FOIL
This article was first published on LinkedIn by Richard Knight on 03/01/2020