The picture of the entrepreneur who attempts to figure everything out alone is often idealized. The reality, however, is much different. Doing it all without help may seem like a noble goal but it usually results in your business suffering. When you try to handle areas of growth that are outside of your core competencies you risk the quality of your work and reputation of your business. In order to protect the reputation of your business it is essential that you seek outside expertise for new areas of growth. You can get the expert help you need through continuing education, working with freelancers, and outsourcing.

Continuing education

Are the accounting duties of your business becoming more complicated? Do you need to find new ways to engage with current and potential customers online? Do you want to develop a mobile app to go along with your current offerings? Any of these scenarios can arise as a result of new business growth. One way to gain the expertise you need for new areas of growth is to continue your education. This can be through formal classroom education, online training, individual instruction, etc. Continuing to learn is important but be sure and weigh the potential benefit of learning to do these tasks on your own against what it will cost you in time and money. In some situations, it makes more sense to hire someone who is already an expert to do the work.

Freelancers

Freelancers are people who work in one area of expertise for a number of different companies. They generally take work on a per-project basis. For new areas of company growth, freelancers may be able to provide you with outside expertise. In addition, you can usually find freelance help very quickly. Common tasks for which companies use freelancers include content creation and graphic design. Be sure and thoroughly check out any freelancer you are considering in order to confirm their expertise in the area where you need assistance.

Outsourcing

You can also find outside expertise for new areas of growth in your business through outsourcing. A top notch outsourcing company will have people on staff who are trained to work in specific areas of business such as accounting, customer service, or technical support. The team approach of outsourcing means that your projects with be worked on and reviewed by more than one person. This minimizes the risk of mistakes and maximizes the quality of the work. If you are wondering if an outsourcing company can handle the tasks you need help with, set up a time to talk with them about your company’s needs. You will likely be surprised at the level of help and expertise you can find at a high quality outsourcing agency.

It will save you time and money, in the long run, to seek outside expertise in areas of new growth for your business. Being a ‘one person show’ will only stifle the growth potential of your business. Learn from those with the expertise you want to acquire or allow them to do the work for your company. Either way, you will get the results you want more quickly and easily than if you attempted to figure everything out on your own.