I love working in teams. The excitement of sharing the wins, the challenge of finding ways that take everyone’s interest into account, the joy of interaction. That is why I have started a few businesses with employees, way before they (the businesses) or I were ready for it. Financially it was suicide.
Learning from that, I decided to build a business with what I could handle. The plan was to grow it to such a state that I would be able to pay someone else from the cash-flow generated. I had heard this rule: If the business can afford half someone’s wage, employ them. They will help to grow it to where it can afford the whole wage.
Good in theory.
Practice shows that I have built myself a business that generates more enquiries than I can handle. And because I am not handling them, not enough turn into sales. So if I go with my plan not to employ until I can afford it, I keep being held back by lack of manpower.
I therefore decided to invest. Small steps, someone for just a few hours to take the pressure off. And if results follow, I can step it up.
If not, I’ll fall back to consolidation.