The Hardest Lesson I’ve Learned as an Entrepreneur

If you’re on this small business journey too, you know by now that there is a new lesson every day. 

And if you’re anything like me, you’re picking up on the fact that the lessons we need and receive aren’t usually the ones we expect. 

In fact, the hardest lesson I’ve learned as an entrepreneur wasn’t one I expected at all. 

The lesson? 

You need help. Always. 

*Cue sudden, quick inhale*

I consider myself a go-getter. Someone who gets things done. Who figures it out, is a quick learner and would prefer to do it herself. 

I thought running my business would be no different. I was wrong. 

It’s been the hardest lesson to learn so far, but the truth is I can’t do this on my own. I can’t even come close. And I really shouldn’t have tried as long as I did. 

So I’d like to help you from my same fate of waiting too long to get some help. 

Here are 7 reasons you should hire sooner than you think you’re ready: 

1. Your body. 

You can feel the stress and overthinking and overworking in your body, can’t you? Our bodies are holding onto our business and our successes and lessons for dear life. They need a break. Help them soften, loosen, and recuperate by taking off some of the pressure. Your literal life depends on it. 

2. Your mindset. 

Our mindsets are everything in our businesses. 

We are (and achieve) what we believe. When we are telling ourselves “I don’t have time”, “I don’t want to do that”, “I’m too busy”, “I’m exhausted” more than not, it’s time to reset. Getting some help can lead to that reset, it did for me. 

3. Your time and freedom. 

If you’ve been trying to finish the same book for months. Can’t seem to find the energy to call your friend(s) back. Or just would rather hit snooze to get some quiet time than face the day, you’re in a time and freedom scarce point in your life. 

You need both freetime and freedom back in your life, at least in some small way. Getting some help in your business (or in your personal life) can open up the space for this. Doesn’t that sound nice? Don’t you owe it to yourself to have some freaking down time? (The answer is yes, stop taking on society’s pressures to do it all - YOU ARE ALLOWED TO RELAX AND DO NOTHING!). 

4. Your mental capacity. 

Getting some help amped me up again. I went from burnt out and overwhelmed and annoyed with my to-do list to re-energized, accountable and excited. 

I was able to tackle things from my list - things I had been pushing off for MONTHS - within DAYS of hiring. The mental capacity reboot was literally that big/quick. 

And I didn’t hire full time employees or anything like that, don’t get it twisted. I got a few hours of help a week. That’s all my brain needed, just some heavy feeling tasks taken off so it could soar into others. What could be possible for you and your business - what ideas and action await! - if only you had the capacity? 

5. Your business growth. 

The truth is we can only grow and scale businesses so much by ourselves. Now, I’m not one who believes we always need to grow - sometimes we need to stay where we are or pull back. But if you are looking to grow and expand in any ways, you’re going to need help. 

You just aren’t great at or have time for everything your business needs. And you shouldn’t have to learn it all. In fact, that’s probably costing you money. Take it from someone who tried that. It didn’t work. 

Delegate the necessary tasks you hate doing. Recognize what you’re weakest at/takes you too long to complete/needs extra amping up to get you to even start it and hand it off! Your energy and the energy of your business will transform because of these tiny changes. Growth is the natural next step. 

6. Your future. 

Do you want to be doing this entrepreneurial thing for a while? Then plan for a long road trip. 

Your future needs you to pace yourself. Burnout is not an option. You’re in it for the long haul love, start acting like it. 

7. Your legacy. 

I’ll be honest, this meant nothing to me before I hired help. I didn’t care if my business grew or if my hiring helped other people. I was in survival mode. This wasn’t an altruistic move, I needed help personally. 

But now that I have people working with me and I can see what an impact I have on their lives, I want more. I can see how I can be a positive force in their lives. How my paying them adds to their possibilities for a great life. How I can mentor them and learn from them and we can all rise together. 

I wish I could say I saw that before, like I do with my clients, but I didn’t. But the truth is this has been the most transformative part of hiring for me. I feel like a leader, part of a team, a channel for change in how businesses are run, a force against the patriarchy and all the BS we’re told working has to be like. I am an intuitive, genuine, badass boss leading my team and that’s making a difference. 

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So I hope you’re ready to make a difference - for yourself, your business, and your future team. All of them are counting on it. 

And I’ll make it simple for you: if any of these points resonated with you, you’re ready. Get some help.

And if you don’t know what that might look like for you or where to start, consider booking a Power Hour with me where we can map it all out, I’m a pro now, together we can make you one too.