You really want to grow your business and be successful. But how do you manage the time when you only have so much of it you want to give?

A few years ago, everyone was talking about this quote from Lori Greiner, one of the investors on the show Shark Tank.

“Entrepreneurs are the only people who will work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40 hours a week”

Unfortunately, it got many entrepreneurs thinking they could only be successful if they worked 80 hours a week! That would mean if you:

• have a full-time job, you can’t be an entrepreneur.
• suffer from chronic health conditions that limit your work time, you can’t be an entrepreneur.
• choose family over business, you can’t be an entrepreneur

The truth is, there are different definitions of success.

For some, it’s having the biggest business around.

For others, success is the perfect work-life balance. 

Entrepreneurship isn’t restricted to those that want to work 10 or 12 or 16 hours a day to grow their business. 

Those that are successful with a shortened schedule have a few tricks up their sleeves. And today I want to share some of that magic with you.

Download our Ultimate Guide to Delegating for More Tips & Tools on How to Delegate as a Solopreneur

How to Manage the Time You Have

Those of us with limited hours to work our business, whether by choice or necessity, have a magic secret. 

And it’s not that we possess some productivity gene others don’t. But it is rooted in scientific concepts that work in our favor. 

The first one is Parkinson’s Law. This concept states that work expands to the time allowed to complete it. 

Essentially, that means that more time isn’t going to allow us to do more work. 

Instead, we will just take longer to do the same amount of work! That alone should allow us to breathe a sigh of relief knowing we won’t actually be accomplishing more by working more.

Now, let’s talk strategies for managing the time you do have to produce the greatest results.

Vision

Most solopreneurs don’t really think about the vision they want to have for their businesses. 

They simply decide on a Tuesday in July that they want to start a business. And by Wednesday afternoon, they are out getting their first clients. 

Having a crystal-clear vision for where you want your business to go can be a powerful tool to help you stay focused and manage the time you want to invest in your business. 

For example: 

• Do you want to have a huge 7-figure business or would you be content with 6 figures?
• Is your goal to create a business that has a social purpose as well?
• Does your dream business involve your lifestyle?

Knowing the answers to these and other vision questions will help you form a vision statement. 

We’re not talking lofty ideal vision statement that we frame and hang on the wall like an inspirational poster.

We’re talking about a one-sentence, driving-force kind of statement. 

Like when you could go anywhere in the world and you choose an Appalachian Mountain get-away because that’s where your mom always wanted to go on her honeymoon. 

It’s about deciding on the destination and knowing why getting there will deeply matter to you. 

When you have a clear vision, you can make better choices about how to spend and manage the time you have. 

And it helps you reject things that will distract you from getting to the Appalachian Mountains.

It’s All in the Planning

A great plan serves as a road map to manage the time you want to work. When you know what to do, you do those things and only those things. 

One of the hardest steps successful solopreneurs take is moving from a “fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants” concept of growing their business to a more structured and planned approach. 

This can be a struggle for the creative spirit. We understand! In fact, most of the coaches we work with are very creative and the thought of being limited by a “plan” can be uncomfortable at first. 

If you can relate to this, we want to encourage you because the truth of the matter is, it’s not so much about sticking hard and fast to the plan. It’s about the habit of planning.

President Eisenhower confused a lot of people with that quote. 

He was saying, plans are not guaranteed. Life happens.

Variables come into play and force constant changes to plans, right? 

His underlying message was we have to be flexible. Becoming too rigid can be just as detrimental to success as no planning at all. 

And that the magic lies in the planning itself. All the thought and strategy that goes into those plans are what lay the foundation for success.

Think 2020

This year has been a great year to test this theory. 

Many plans were set at the beginning of the year. Goals were created, programs were scheduled and plans were made. 

And then life happened. The entire world was shut down. 

What followed was our need to change plans on an hourly basis some days.

I think we can all agree that to survive quarantine, we had to drop any rigid tendencies we had and employ ongoing flexibility. 

It’s been a reminder that even a well-designed plan can change at any given moment.

However, even when you have to add-to, or take-away from, the basic plan framework will still give you a direction to go. 

It’s a flight plan

Virtual A Team recently launched our podcast, Coach's CoPilot. 

Pilots and CoPilots know that a plane almost never takes a direct flight from point A to point B. Adjustments need to be made along the way of every flight. 

But without that flight plan, they would not know what deviations to make in order to stay closely on course.

Creating a plan is an investment of your time but it’s an investment that will give you significant returns in the long run.

Fractional Analysis

Here’s another scientific principle for you. It’s called the Pareto Principle or the 80/20 rule.

Bear with me, math wasn’t my favorite subject either.

The 80/20 rule suggests that 80% of our results come from 20% of our efforts. 

For example, if you are trying to lose weight through diet and exercise, 20% of what you are doing is giving you 80% of the results you are achieving. 

What that also means is that 80% of our efforts only gives us a whopping 20% of our results! It’s time to reduce or eliminate that 80%. 

The Audit

Lately, many of our clients have requested help with auditing their business. 

They want to know what’s working and what’s not. 

We review things like their social media and email marketing.

We collect and analyze data from all our client's existing programs. 

Are Your Efforts Working?

One of our clients wanted a focused review of her social media efforts. 

She posts consistently on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Linkedin, and Twitter.

Every message and many of the graphics are crafted specifically for the channel it is being posted on. Customization is time consuming. 

We took a look at how many people she was driving to her website and also how many “conversations” she was having. 

It turns out, for this client (and please know your results may differ), Facebook was by far the best use of her time.

That was her 20% driving her 80%.

Linkedin and Twitter produced very little results for her and Pinterest produced results that were actually hurting more than helping.

This coach decided to stop spending time crafting Pinterest images and editing her post length for Twitter. The time she spent on social media went down significantly.

Action Tip: Audit your time and the results you are getting. If it takes you more time than the results deserve, consider letting that task go.

Ditch Flying Solo

Now that you have chosen to be more effective and do the things that move you closer to your goal, it’s time to start thinking about how to also be more efficient. 

That means it’s time to stop doing the things that someone else can do and focus on the things that only you can do. It’s time to start delegating.

For coaches who have built their business all on their own, taking on a co-pilot (delegating) is often new territory and scary territory.

There are three keys to making delegation easier for the newbie.

1. Make a list of all the tasks you do and begin to decide which ones you can’t or shouldn’t be doing. This is your first task list for your first hire.
2. Take your time and hire well. Don’t hire quickly because that’s usually when problems arise. 
3. Be prepared. When you work with someone else, projects take longer. There’s back and forth communication and different work schedules. 

We have a LOT of great articles for the first time delegator. Some of these may be helpful to you.

• How to Prepare Your Coaching Business to Start Delegating
• Do You Need to Learn Something Before You Start Delegating?
• Why Is Outsourcing Beneficial?

Embrace Technology

Technology can be super scary if it isn’t in your zone of genius but it can be one of the best time savers we have. 

Using technology to automate tasks within your business is often a great investment.

But what are things that you can automate in your business? 

Appointment Scheduling

Tools like Calendly or Acuity allow you to create a calendar of available time and let others pick the time that works best for them. These systems even let the scheduler answer a few questions so you know what to expect when you get on the phone (or Zoom). 

We’ve reviewed several of the top scheduling tools to help you pick the one that’s right for you.

Social Media Scheduling

You don’t actually have to be available to post to social media at all hours of the day. Tools like SmarterQueue or Buffer allow you to create all of your posts in advance and have them post based on the schedule you choose.

You can even set up posts to go out when you are on vacation!

We have also reviewed the top social media scheduling tools so you don’t have to!

Email

We often don’t think of automating the emails we receive but there are lots of tools for handling this.

Since Gmail is the largest email service out there, we will focus on that. 

Let’s start with some of the features that have been around for a while.

• See only the emails you want to see when you want to see them. 

  Gmail’s Rules and Labels feature allows you to set up automations so that emails go to specific “folders” based on their content or who’s sending them. This is great so you never miss a client message or don’t have to see all your store sales emails in the inbox all the time. This feature allows you to stop having to use two different email addresses in order to keep one of them clear of the clutter.

• Templates used to be called Canned Responses when it was in beta.

This feature allows you to create template text that you send out over and over. If you always find yourself typing the same message, set up some templates to speed up the process.

• Customize your signature.

Many of us have Gmail set up to receive multiple different email addresses into one place. Gmail allows you to customize your signature depending on the email being received. You can even rotate your signature if you have a few different PS messages you want to use.

Now let’s talk some of the cool new features Gmail offers.

• See Ya Later! Gmail’s snooze feature allows you to dismiss an email if you can’t or don’t want to address it at the moment.

It will pop back into your inbox at the top when you want it to. This feature is great if you are clearing your inbox between meetings but don’t have time for lengthy responses.

• There’s also the option to send your emails at a later date.

This is handy if you happen to be working on the weekends or late at night and don’t want your response to appear as though you work all hours of the day! 

If you need help setting up Gmail or any other automations for your business, reach out to Virtual A Team. We’d be happy to lend a hand.

It’s important to remember that automation does not replace humans.

We often get asked about very complex automations and our recommendation is always to evaluate the cost to set up something versus paying a human to do it. How long will it take to break even? 

Work Smarter, Not Harder

The best ways to make the most out of the limited time you want or need to work involve working smarter, not harder. More hours will not result in more profit.

To better manage the time you have, focus on these 5 basic principles:

1. Have a clear vision.
2. Create a plan.
3. Find your high reward tasks and focus on those.
4. Ditch the solo and delegate.
5. Embrace technology and automate.

Realize that this will take an investment of your time. For a short while, you may be working more while you get the tools and systems set up. But the rewards are well worth the investment!

What will you do with all that extra time?

Is it time you stop waiting and start to get in a groove?

I've spoken to a lot of clients recently who are struggling to recover their version of 'highly productive people' habits. So, if you're wondering how to get in a new groove post-quarantine, read on.

The idea of self-isolating sounded scary at first because it was like the world was ending. What were we going to do about shopping and socializing and growing our businesses?

And then we adjusted. 

For some of us, quarantine meant a lot more free time.

• We reconnected with loved ones through conference calls and video chats.
• We found time for hobbies long forgotten or discovered new ones. I even rediscovered a love for photography and creative writing. 

For others, the workload didn’t change but the scenery did.

Many of us already worked from home but we became a lot more familiar with the same four walls (was that crack ALWAYS there?).

Download our Ultimate Guide to Delegating for More Tips & Tools on How to Delegate as a Solopreneur

We discovered that the Brady Bunch was really just on a zoom call all along… HINT: this video is a must see!! #yourewelcome

Get in a Groove Step 1 - Declutter

Ok, this isn’t Marie Kondo’s site, but decluttering is a powerful way to reset the mind and body. It helps you get focused and gain clarity.

Get in a new groove by decluttering: 

Your Workspace 

Look around you and observe. Has your workspace gathered homework assignments, half-used coffee mugs, miscellaneous pieces of mail, and other random clutter?

Take some time to clear your space.

Your Body

OK, we’ve heard about the Quarantine 15. If you’ve noticed a little slacking off on your healthy lifestyle, now is the time to reboot those habits.

Take a look at your diet and exercise and determine what to declutter.

If many things are still going well, you can even consider a health cleanse.

Your Mind

Through quarantine, we've been focused on dealing with issues we never expected, or even considered.

• Our health
• Children (or grandkids) home from college
• Homeschooling
• Loss of income and/or financial security
• Safety of our loved ones
• And loss of freedom to take our planned vacations

We’ve had a LOT more than usual to worry about and it’s time to let some of that go.

Do some mediation exercises or consider talking with a professional about your concerns. Holding it all in doesn’t help anyone.

Bear or Butterfly?

Over time, we found our quarantine groove.

We learned how to work and play in this new atmosphere.

Sure, we never expected it to last as long as it did. But we found a way to exist.

And now we are facing the next change. 

Many cities and states have been open for a month now. Some are just starting to open back up.

And, as they do, we are, once again, adapting to new ways of doing things.

Hibernation vs Transformation

Change happens whether we want it to or not. Sometimes all you can do is hang on and enjoy the ride. But other times you have to take control and steer.

There's a really important choice to make.

You can look at this quarantine as a period of hibernation. Bears and other animals hibernate to conserve resources and survive tough seasonal conditions. It is nothing more than pure survival.

Or, you can view it as a chrysalis. The chrysalis is the life-cycle stage where a caterpillar, in its cocoon, is undergoing the remarkable transformation into a butterfly.

Once you’ve chosen to be the butterfly and not the bear, what actions can you take to get in a new groove and make your transformation amazing?

Get in a Groove Step 2 - Dream Big

I say it often, New Year’s isn’t the only time you are allowed to set new goals. Any day that ends in Y is a great day to do so.

We work hard at the beginning of each year to set goals.

Now is the time to review the goals you set at the beginning of the year when 2020 was going to be THE year that rocked! There’s still time to hit your mark. 

Reviewing and revising your goals is a great way to get excited again.

It gives you a chance to see what’s possible, not just what’s existed so far. There’s a reason gyms are so busy in January and that's because EVERYONE is excited...in January!

If you struggle with creating goals, I would encourage you to check out this Goal Setting article by James Clear. This isn’t just a rehash of the old SMART goals methodology.

You may find that his approach unlocks something that helps you actually LOVE goal setting! (OMG, crazy, right?)

Get in a Groove Step 3 - Bring in the New

Have you always wanted to try the 5 AM Club?

Or maybe you’ve been thinking about that Bulletproof coffee all the podcasters are talking about.

Bringing in a new routine is a great way to re-energize yourself and get in a new groove.

It gives you an exciting reason to wake up in the morning (I’ll see you around 7, I’m not getting up at 5) and it helps you feel like you have control over something.

If you aren’t quite ready to try something new, reintroduce something that you’ve let go. 

It’s been easy to stop setting the alarm clock or planning meals in advance. After all, you have been just trying to survive.

But now is the time to pick up those past habits or find a way to adapt them to the new way of your world.

Get in a Groove Step 4 - Get Organized

Just because you’ve gotten rid of mind, body, and space clutter doesn’t mean you’ve organized what’s left.

Take some time to organize your schedule.

Create some systems for yourself.

• What days/times will you work?
• When will you rest?
• How will you plan?
• And when will you play?

Write things down. There’s nothing more exhausting than trying to remember all the things you need to remember.

Checklists are your friends

As a new owner of a travel trailer, I’m realizing the HUGE value of lists.

✅ I have lists for what to pack.

✅ And checklists for before leaving home.

✅ Lists for setting up and tearing down our campsite.

✅ I have to plan meals in advance and prep them before we leave.

✅ Hubby has to make sure everything is in working order.

✅ We have to get clothes and supplies packed. 

I would be overwhelmed and exhausted if I had to constantly try to remember to pack the syrup for the French Toast or make sure to put the vent down in the bathroom before driving off!

One quick check of the list, and I can stop thinking about it.

Get in a Groove Step 5 - SLOW DOWN!

You are tired of self-isolation, quarantine, “new normal” and all that other crap.

It’s tempting to do everything at once so you can get back to the “old normal”. But that’s not reality.

To get in a new groove you're going to have to accept the fact that...

Your world is different and your emotions are different now.

You are grieving the old way and you will for some time. And that's ok!

• Give yourself space to have bad days.
• Build pause days into your schedule.

These are days where anything goes without judgment.  Be OK with imperfect for a while.

Finding Your Groove

It all comes down to control.

One of the best ways to get in a new groove after any big change, especially a change that feels out of our control, is to do something that allows you to feel in control.

We can’t control a lot of things that happen in our lives but we have more control than we sometimes feel; or often remember we have.

And one of our greatest, and most accessed, super-powers is our ability to control how we perceive even the things we have no control over.

When you feel in control, you feel powerful.

It’s this power that will help you realign and come out better on the other side.

Just remember, it’s OK to take your time getting back in the groove. Even a butterfly takes time coming out of her chrysalis.

Let's chat about how to prepare your coaching business to delegate.

Congratulations! You finally decided to take that huge step to start your coaching business. Did you have ANY idea how much detail was going to be involved? We are guessing you probably don't have the funds to pay someone to tackle the creation and set up of your business, but you will want to start outsourcing as soon as possible in order to keep your sanity.

So how DO you prepare your coaching business to delegate?

Once the basics are in place, you can reach out to freelancers who can help you with your daily administrative and marketing tasks so that you can focus on coaching.

Have a Clear Objective for Your Business

What do you plan to do with your coaching business? 

More importantly, how do you plan to achieve this? These questions should be answered clearly and succinctly so that it is easy for freelancers to understand exactly what your business is about.

Choose Your Niche. 

Once you have YOUR niche, it is easy to create an objective that will apply to all the clients you work with.

For example, a relationship coach will focus mainly on couples, while a life coach is more general and can work with couples AND individuals. Think about your skill set and what you want to offer your clients to determine your niche.

If you prepare your coaching business to delegate any of your marketing, from social media to email campaigns, your team will need to know your niche.

Create a Mission Statement. 

Once your niche is established, you can start working on other key elements of your business.

Step one will be creating your mission statement. This only needs to be one or two sentences describing your business values and what you aim to provide. When creating your mission statement it is important to incorporate three core elements:

• State your vision or mission for your business
• Define your objectives and goals
• State your core values (this will help to shape freelancer’s behavior in the future)

These statements should be short and to the point. When your mission statement is read, it should immediately become clear what your business is about and what you expect from those you work with in the future.

Create a Business Plan

Even if you have no need to get bank loans, a business plan can serve as a road map for your business. You’d never set out on a family vacation in the old station wagon without having an idea of where you are going. And you shouldn’t start a business without having a plan either.

Your business plan will also serve to help guide you as you work with freelancers.

The following are some steps you can take to start your business plan or simplify an existing one:

Do your homework!

Research your industry as much as you can. Read industry reports, examine competing businesses, and be detailed about exactly what you plan to offer your clients. You must also know your product, your business, and your competition intimately.

What is the purpose of your plan?

Think of your business plan as a type of road map that will give you and future freelancers the directions you need to execute daily functions to grow your business. With this in mind, your “road map” should include instructions on how to deal with foreseeable obstacles that could occur.

Develop your company profile.

Examples: What you plan to offer? Who do you plan to offer it to? What is the history of your business?

Document your business.

From the beginning, be clear about your cash flow, expenses, and industry projections. In addition to using this to show freelancers that you have solid a financial plan, you can also use it to attract investors in the future, if necessary.

Create your marketing plan.

Make sure it is aggressive, especially while your coaching business is new. It should state plans for your services, how you plan to launch them, and the marketing methods you will implement to get your business out to the masses.

Make sure that your business plan is adaptable.

The coaching business is ever-changing as society finds new ways to do things, and your business plan should have information about how you plan to adapt to these changes. What is your approach? Are there financial implications that may occur as a result of making the necessary changes?

Tell people why you care about starting a coaching business.

What made you so passionate about the industry that set you on the path to starting your own business? This is the sweet spot of any budding business...making people care as much about your coaching venture as you do.

Develop Your Business Brand

Even if you prepare your coaching business to delegate your brand creation, it is always a good idea to know what goes into brand development so that you can be involved in every step. Just remember, the brand you adopt for your coaching business will also be YOUR identity. It will play a major role in how freelancers and future clients perceive you.

Your brand must be consistent and something your target audience can relate to. Essentially, you're communicating who you are and what you can do for those who are looking for the services you offer.

There are several steps involved in effective brand development, including but not limited to:

1. What is the purpose of your brand?

Did a major life event propel you toward building a coaching business? Did something in childhood make you want to help other people? Answering these types of questions will allow you to determine your purpose.

2. Researching branding techniques

Industry competitors use certain branding techniques and knowing these will allow you to differentiate yourself from them and what they have to offer.

3. Make sure you are very specific when determining your target audience.

What is the buyer persona of your brand? For example, what is their age, location, education level, gender, and income?

4. Establish a mission statement

A mission statement will help your brand tell people exactly why you wake up every morning to perform your coaching duties.

5. State the primary benefits

These benefits and qualities are those that your brand offers, especially those which competitors are not offering.

6. Develop the voice of your brand

This helps to communicate with your target audience.

7. Make sure that the personality of your brand is always clear and present.

8. Develop the messaging and story of your brand.

Tell people exactly who you are and outline your motivations.

9. Create a tagline and logo for your brand.

10. Ensure that your brand is present in all elements of your coaching business.

Who Is Your Target Audience?

You should know who your clients are before starting your business. 

This is where determining your target audience comes into play.

Start by looking at the competition to see who their customers are...their demographics. Would any of them work well for your coaching business?

Consider the services you are offering and who could benefit from them the most. For example, if you want to coach young women, you will target women under the age of 30 who are struggling and need guidance in creating a solid foundation in their lives. They likely have, at the least, a high school education and are either recently married or single.

Psycho-graphics is another area you want to explore. 

Psycho-graphics is where you get into the personal characteristics of your target market. It includes things like:

• Personality
• Values
• Lifestyles
• Attitudes
• Hobbies and interests
• Behavior

You should spend some time narrowing down all of these characteristics and demographics until you have the ideal person in mind. This person becomes...you got it...your target audience.

Determine Your Unique Selling Proposition

Once you determine your niche, craft your mission statement, and create your mission statement, you’ll need to develop your unique selling proposition. 

What is your “unique selling proposition” or USP, you ask? 

Your USP is what sets you apart from other coaching businesses. It answers how you will outshine your competitors? Take time to answer these questions as it will help you craft the very best USP for your business. 

Not only will this help you build your client list in the future, but it will prepare your coaching business to delegate and help freelancers determine if your business is one that they want to work with. 

Examining your competitors is an important area to focus on while contemplating your selling proposition.

Ask yourself, “What are they doing and how can I do it better?”.

For example, if you plan on delving into relationship coaching where other coaches focus on repairing broken relationships, you could help new parents transition into parenthood as a team. This gives you a narrower niche and, let’s face it, there will always be new parents out there struggling to adapt to their new lives who could use some guidance from you.

In the above scenario, you can target freelancers who are parents with experience in this stage of life, making them more valuable to your team and clients.

What You Don’t Need

Just as there are some key things you WILL need to prepare your coaching business to delegate, there are also a handful of things you don’t need to worry about right away.

• Learn Everything - Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to learn how to do everything in your business before you delegate those tasks. You can read more about that on our article here.
• Having SOPs - It’s common to hear that you need standard operating procedures (SOPs) before you start outsourcing. That’s true if you are trying to work with very low pay overseas individuals. However, if you work with a team of specialists, they will bring the SOPs to you. 
• Pay for Tools - Many freelancers will bring access to tools or software you can use in your business. You won’t need to spend time shopping around and selecting the right tools before you get started.

Summary

Having the essentials in order before reaching out to freelancers will make the transition to having them on your team far easier. When you have these elements in order, freelancers get a clear picture of what your coaching company does and what your ultimate goals are. With this information, you can all work together to ensure all objectives are met and that you can continue to expand your business.

CLICK HERE if you're ready to get started!!!

So you’ve started a business...now what?

Like most entrepreneurs, your business is the culmination of your blood, sweat, and tears. You’ve poured all your time and effort into seeing your idea flourish, never actually taking the time to think about the “after”.

What do I do AFTER my business takes off?

Today we are going to delve into the world of outsourcing. 

WHAT IS OUTSOURCING?

Outsourcing or outside resourcing, as defined by the Wikipedia, is an agreement in which one company hires another company to be responsible for a planned or existing activity that is or could be done internally.

Simple, right? 

Not so to a budding business owner used to taking charge of every aspect of their business. To these energetic entrepreneurs, outsourcing is a scary prospect invented to rip away the reins of their control. But in reality, outsourcing could be the boost a business needs in order to level up to the next phase of success.

FEAR OF OUTSOURCING

Let’s first talk about the elephant in the room...business reputation. The looming question that stabs at the back of your mind like a Saturday night horror flick. 

“What if the finished product doesn’t reflect my dedication to perfection?” 

Rest easy! No matter what project is being outsourced, ultimately, it will need your final approval before it ever reaches the client’s inbox. As you continue to work with the freelancer, they will begin to understand your vision and overtime begin to produce work that closely mimics your own. 

3 REASONS WHY OUTSOURCING IS BENEFICIAL 

1. What can collaboration do for you?
2. How can outsourcing actually make you money?
3. Why outsourcing is a fantastic trade off.
   

WHAT CAN COLLABORATION DO FOR YOU?

Collaboration is an excellent feature of outsourcing. Sometimes, as entrepreneurs, tunnel vision sets in and breaks down the flow of new ideas needed to keep a business fresh and evolving. Collaborating offers the opportunity to throw around ideas that would have otherwise never seen the light of day. 

Imagine for a moment if the forward-thinking caveman who thought up rubber tires kept his idea all to himself? Well then, we might still see Fred Flintstone motoring around on a set of four  clumsy Fire-STONE wheels today!

HOW OUTSOURCING CAN ACTUALLY MAKE YOU MONEY?

The one thing in the world no one can buy, sell, or save is time. Any successful business-owner worth their salt knows that time is the most precious commodity. Given that eye-opening factoid, aside from cloning oneself, there is only ONE way to accomplish more with the allotted 1,440 minutes in any given day...you guessed it...outsourcing! 

The ability to hand-off one to two tasks would allow you the time to follow-up with potential clients. Extra time also allows the opportunity to touch bases with current clients and brainstorm future projects they’d like to pursue with you.

So, in retrospect, the $40 you paid to a freelancer to write yesterday’s blog post (which saved two hours of your precious time) could have the potential return of an entirely new income stream.  

Moral - The time saved from outsourcing yesterday could be easily be invested with a client today, thereby paying dividends tomorrow. Now that sounds better than playing the stock market!

WHY OUTSOURCING IS A FANTASTIC TRADE OFF

Allowing someone else to tackle a project might trigger a slight grumbling right at the pit of your stomach. 

It’s happening right now, isn’t it?

Calm down...it’s natural.

Let’s face it, the meticulous nature which drives most entrepreneurs to success is the same double-edged sword that keeps them from unclenching their white-fisted grip from the controls. But imagine the amount of time you would save if you didn’t have to search for images, toil over ad copy, and then schedule a post on all your social media platforms.

What could you do with that extra hour of freed up time?

Exactly! Now you’re getting it. That’s what outsourcing could do for you! 

You have just added an hour to market to new clients, or hit a deadline you’ve been struggling to meet since you were spread so thin. 

Feel that? 

That’s the feeling of calm rushing over you like a soft Hawaiian breeze.

You’re welcome.

There’s no shame in NOT wanting to take a backseat to outsourcing...INITIALLY. But, as a savvy business-owner, there comes a time when admitting you can’t do it all is not a sign of defeat, but a symbol of growth.

CLICK HERE if you're ready to get started!

It’s time that you stop being afraid to ask for help! 

Asking for help isn’t something we were raised to do easily. In school, we are taught not to collaborate and to do our own work. At home, we are assigned individual chores rather than encouraged to work together. At work, we have to take credit or blame as individuals in order to succeed or fail. We were programmed not to copy, now we can’t even ask for help.

If you can’t ask for help, you can’t delegate. And if you can’t delegate, you will struggle to succeed.

• If you can’t ask for help, you may have a much steeper learning curve. Mentors and coaches can shorten the time necessary to learn new and necessary skills.
• You may get stuck constantly spinning your wheels with administrivia and never get to the real business-building work.
• It could cause you to miss the obvious and simple solution to a challenging problem that would otherwise take up lots of time.
• You may create even more time-consuming problems from your lack of knowledge or experience.

Download our Ultimate Guide to Delegating for More Tips & Tools on How to Delegate as a Solopreneur

This last point was an issue for a client of mine who felt she could do all of her own website maintenance on her own even though that wasn’t her area of expertise. 

Case Study:

“Heather” felt she had enough knowledge to save herself some money and time by doing the updates on her own. Unfortunately, something went wrong in the update and her website crashed. Heather spent several hours trying to undo the damage and recover her site. Finally, Heather put it out to her tribe that she needed help and had a good friend step in to fix her problem within 30 minutes. Heather’s fear of asking for help cost her 5 hours that she could have spent on productive, business-building tasks.

Let’s take a closer look at why we struggle to ask for help.

In her article, 5 Mistaken Beliefs About Asking for Help, Lorie Corcuera talks about the five assumptions we have when it comes to asking for help. These assumptions likely play into our fear.

• It’s a sign of weakness.
• I’ll lose control.
• I might have to reciprocate.
• I don’t want to burden anyone.
• It’s just easier and faster for me to do it.

Each of these assumptions is full of excuses and fears. 

A Sign of Weakness: There isn’t a single successful person on this planet who has gotten to the top on their own. NOT asking for help is much more a sign of weakness than asking for the help you need. 

Losing Control: Having control of nothing is not worth more than having control of something. Wouldn’t you rather LEAD an amazing team in a successful organization than have 100% of the control of a struggling idea?

Reciprocate: Are you thinking, “What if I can’t or don’t want to return the favor?” Asking for help is not a balance sheet. When you are able to empower individuals to help you, they usually aren’t keeping a running tab. 

Being a Burden: So you don’t want to burden someone? When was the last time you felt it was a burden if someone asked you for help in a way that made you feel empowered? More often, rather than being a burden, we are giving the gift to allow others to use their strengths and passions. 

Easier and Faster: It is only easier and faster to do it yourself up to a point.It might take you 20 minutes to complete a task that takes someone 10 minutes when they are well trained in that area. If it takes you 30 minutes to train them, after 3 times, they are now saving you time.

Finally, it is very important to remember that being vulnerable is a strength, not a weakness. This is a concept I struggled with for years. However, after the loss of my son, I knew I no longer had a choice but to open myself up and ask for help. It was scary and definitely WAY outside of my comfort zone. What I found, though, was that I had more people come up to me and being willing to help and support me. I didn’t have to put on the false face of a super-strong, Teflon-skinned woman to be successful. Quite the opposite. There was far more opportunity to be successful when I share my vulnerability.

Remember, asking for help is a great way to save time. Don’t be afraid to let people know how they can help you.

Growing our businesses means growing our tools and a key tool in every growing business is the project management system. Whether you are a solopreneur or have an entire team; from idea to implementation, projects have many steps to track and follow. There are so many choices, though, that a project management programs comparison can feel overwhelming. How do we ensure that there is consistent quality, simple tools and affordability in a program that we will actually WANT to use?

We have taken the time to help you narrow down some of our favorite project management programs available for the upcoming year. We did the work and created a project management programs comparison for you. Each of these programs has their unique design applications and characteristics. We share some of these and also the functional deficiencies you may want to consider.

Top 5 Project Management Programs Comparison

Teamwork.com

Teamwork happens to be the program we have chosen for our clients. After reviewing several programs including the ones shared here, we found that Teamwork offered the best options for current and future needs.

Tagline: The best way to manage your projects and team.

Cost: Teamwork is a subscription-based service with a Free Forever plan $0/month with limits, a Pro plan $9/month per user, billed annually, and an Enterprise plan contact for details, billed annually.

Trial period: 30 day free trial, 90 day money back guarantee

Features: Teamwork offers free includes task boards, subtasks, complex project management tools and color themes. Pro expands to include project portfolios and integrations with time tracking software, Dropbox and Drive, CRMS and other programs. It also includes file storage and custom designs to brand your business while Enterprise includes HIPPA compliance, Enterprise class security and more branding control.

Structure: The Teamwork platform is based on projects and includes milestones, task lists and tasks.

Pros:

• Short learning curve
• Ease of use
• Value for money
• Flexibility
• Great communication tools
• User-friendly and easy to navigate
• Mobile App available

Cons:

• Lack of detailed reporting
• Unable to perform more bulk task functions
• Template functions could be improved

Get App gives Teamwork.com a 4.5/5 with 92% positive reviews and 97% recommended.

Asana

Tagline: It's free to use, simple to get started, and powerful enough to run your entire business.

Cost: Asana is a subscription-based freemium service with Basic free, Premium $9.99/month per user, billed annually, and Enterprise, contact for details

Trial period: yes

Features: Asana includes API, activity dashboard, file management, permissions, user access controls, and search functionality.

Structure: Team members create workspaces which are composed of projects and projects each contain tasks. Team members can then enter notes, comments, attachments and tags.

Pros:

• User-friendly platform
• Simple, well organized, program integration

Cons:

• Premium features are expensive
• More complex than alternative options

Get App gives Asana a 4.3/5 with 86% positive reviews and 96% recommended.

Nozbe

Tagline: Simply get everything done.

Cost: Nozbe is also a subscription-based service with Solo/Duo ($8/month), Small Business ($18/month up to 8 users), and Business ($78/month with unlimited users) levels.

Trial period: Free 30 day trial

Features: The platform optimizes productivity, mobility, collaboration and has a unique inspiration feature where you can receive coaching from founder Michael Sliwinski for free. The Business plan includes dedicated training and optional company training as well as VIP support with a dedicated account manager.

Structure: Nozbe users can utilize the platform off-line as the platform saves progress and then syncs once logged back in. This tool works on multiple platforms and integrates easily with many programs including Evernote, Dropbox and Google Drive. Designed for the individual use as well as the small to medium-sized company. Tools include calendar, customizable project templates, scheduling and support for multiple projects.

Pros:

• Universal cross-platform
• Simple user interface
• Real-time team collaboration
• Integration
• Templates

Cons:

• Limited free plan
• Task dependencies
• No reports
• Incompatible with Gantt charts

Slant users gave Nozbe 26 thumbs up and 11 thumbs down.

Wrike

Tagline: Work is more efficient with Wrike.

Cost: Subscription-based freemium service include Basic plan (free up to 5include), Professional ($9.80/month per user, billed annually), Business ($24.80/month per user, billed annually), Marketers ($34.60/month per user, billed annually) and Enterprise contact for details.

Trial period: free trial period

Features: The basic plan includes unlimited projects, collaborators and key features for up to 5 users. It offers real-time updates in group activity feed and a platform structured by teams with organizational details and assignments.

Structure:  Wrike is integrated with Microsoft Office 365 and can be downloaded from that platform’s store. This integration allows teams to collaborate using the tools in the Microsoft Office packages.

Pros:

• Good for teams large or small
• Flexibility of project regimes
• Able to manage financial applications
• Flexibility of task views
• Project replication

Cons:

• Lack of shared calendar
• Lack of tutorials
• Complex navigation

Get App gives Wrike a 4.2/5 with 85% positive reviews and 93% recommended.

Trello

Trello is primarily designed as a visual platform. If you and your team tend to be more visually oriented, the Trello outshines all the others. However, if any part of your team is not geared towards a more visual layout, Trello will be inadequate for your needs.

Tagline: Your entire project, in a single glance.

Cost: Also a subscription-based freemium service, Trello offers Standard (free), Business Class ($8.33/month per user when paid annually), and Enterprise ($20.83/month per user when paid annually.

Trial period: yes

Features: Developer based API, attached photos, drawings, sketches and mockups, collaborative workspace, third-party integration, security and employee management. Trello allows you to invite outside members to the board within the organization.

Structure: This platform stands out for its design features. According to projectmanagers.net, “Visual three-tiered organization system make it a bit easier to grasp and because it has a freemium option even fledging businesses can afford to use it.” Those three tiers are boards, lists and cards. Boards can be public, private or limited access. The cards allow for customization including attaching images, links, emoticons and history for each activity.

Pros:

• Works like an app and user-friendly on all screens
• Fast update speeds
• Simple assignments

Cons:

• Lack of Gantt, document composition or calendar

Get App gives Trello a 4.4/5 with 88% positive reviews and 97% recommended.

Final Thoughts

If you are serious about a project management programs comparison for your own business needs, we highly recommend you check out Get App to do a comparison of all the features.

Productivity is the name of the game. We are always looking for ways to make the hours in the day stretch in order to get the most out of them. These tools can help you to streamline your projects whether it's just you or an entire team.  When you are ready to outsource work or integrate with virtual assistants, these tools can help you keep the vision moving forward. We have previously discussed scheduling programs, these tools utilized together enhance your team efficiency.