Many small businesses today start as solo-enterprises. We start businesses from our homes, sometimes just trying to make a little money from our hobbies while still working as an employee. Often, business owners begin by testing the water, experimenting with ways to make money on their own, before jumping in with both feet. Other people take the risk straight away and dive in headfirst. But, however you do it, your ultimate goal might be to make a full-time income from your business. 

To be able to do this, you need to grow. At some point along this path, you may consider taking your business from being a solo-enterprise to an employer. Having help will give you access to the experts that you need. It will mean that you can cope with increased demand and a more significant workload without compromising on service or quality, and it will mean that you can still take a little time off when you need to. 

But, hiring help isn’t always that straight-forward. There’s a financial risk to taking on staff, and you won’t want to spend more than you need to. There are also legal implications, and for many, it’s hard to let someone else into something that you have so far managed alone. 

Consider Outsourcing and Using Freelancers

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A fantastic option, especially if you work from home and literally don’t have room for extra bodies, is outsourcing. You might choose to outsource some of the trickier tasks like IT support to itsupportboston.us, to ensure that your business faces minimal downtime and to free your time up. You might also choose to outsource admin tasks and social media to a VA, to give you time to focus on more critical tasks. 

But, you might also choose to hire freelancers. Freelancers are great because you only pay them for the work that you need, and you can use someone different for each task that you need help with. 

Make a Recruitment Plan – Who Do You Need?

Before rushing out and recruiting, make a detailed plan. Think about precisely what you need help with and when. Ask yourself if you need this help permanently, or just in the short term, and spend time creating an advertisement that reflects what you are looking for. 

Create a Budget – Who Can You Afford?

You also need a budget. Can you afford a full-time member of staff? If your business is suddenly making more money, is this likely to last? Think about how much you can afford to pay and for how many hours. 

Create a Recruitment Schedule

Don’t rush recruitment. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you need someone quickly, and just anyone will do. Take your time to interview candidates and even consider trial shifts, to get a better feel for how they will fit into your company.

Add a Training Plan

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It doesn’t stop when you hire someone. You’ll also need to train them. Having training plans in place can get things moving quickly. 

Understand the Law

You can’t just hire people. You might need to change your business insurance. You’ll also need to carry out risk assessments, look at HR law and formulate contracts.