Building a Team as a Solopreneur Leads to Success

You can’t and shouldn’t do everything, so building a team will help your small shop expand its capacity

BY KATHRYN DILLON

Many of us entered the design and fabrication business because we love textiles, architecture, and creating or enhancing spaces that are functional and beautiful. Looking through all of those shelter magazines, watching HGTV shows and scrolling through Instagram makes design look easy. But we all know that it is not nearly as easy as it is portrayed, especially when you factor in all of the behind-the-scenes work that takes place for that room to be deemed photo-worthy.

In order to grow our businesses and prevent burnout, we need to work toward building a team that consists of people who excel in the tasks we don’t excel in. A team member is anyone who helps your company perform a business task, even those you may only use occasionally, like a tax accountant or a web designer. In the November + December 2018 issue of Window Fashion VISION, I discussed working in your sweet spot by taking the time to discover your core strengths or talents and how they are best used in life and the workplace. For many creatives, the business side of design can be a challenge—accounting, marketing, procuring products and managing the flow of production.

For the single-person workroom, it’s important to determine which types of window coverings you fabricate well and can earn a profit from versus which ones are best to contract out (or gain hands-on education about to increase your skill set). As a solopreneur and lifelong learner, I can easily get trapped wanting to learn how to do all aspects of the business instead of contracting or hiring another expert to do what they do best. For something like web design, even though I am totally intrigued by this process, I am equally terrified of breaking the site. I believe we need to have an online presence, so I hired Kate the Socialite to build my website, and I love the result! By hiring a hosting company that also keeps the back end working well, I can focus on the online aspects of my business that are within my skill set.

Our industry has grown to be more collaborative, with people regularly sharing knowledge and support through professional organizations, conferences and private Facebook groups. While this is helpful, sometimes you need customized education to be able to add to your offerings. By answering these questions, you can determine who you might need and when it’s best to grow your team.

• Is this offering or skill necessary for the sustainability and growth of my business?

• Does it fit within my skill set? If yes, what type of education do I need to be able to add this to my offerings? How long will it take me to be proficient before I am profitable?

• If it doesn’t fit within my skill set, who is the best person to contract, or should I bring someone in house, either temporarily or full time? • What do I need to plan for to be able to grow the business to the next level?

Think through what you need to build the business you desire and to wholeheartedly serve your clients. Then take the next big step!