As a business owner, you're used to wearing all the hats. You do the selling, the emailing, the bookkeeping, and maybe even the cleaning. But as your business grows, trying to do everything becomes not only exhausting but inefficient.
Growth is exciting, but it also demands a shift in how you work. Delegating is one of the most powerful moves you can make to free up your time and keep your business moving forward. But the big question is: where do you start?
Here’s a smart framework for deciding what to delegate first.
1. Delegate the Time-Consuming, Low-Skill Tasks
Start with the tasks that take up a lot of your time but don’t necessarily require your expertise.
Think:
These are repetitive tasks that eat up your day but can easily be handed off to a virtual assistant or part-time admin.
2. Offload Financial Admin Early Bookkeeping
Invoice tracking, expense categorization, and payroll may seem like things you can manage yourself, but they quickly become overwhelming.
Mistakes in this area can be costly. A professional bookkeeper or outsourced financial team can ensure that your books are accurate, your taxes are prepared on time, and your cash flow is under control.
Delegating this early helps you make smarter decisions and avoid major financial headaches down the road.
3. Customer Service and Communication
As your business grows, the number of client emails, inquiries, and follow-ups multiplies. Delegating customer service allows you to maintain a high level of responsiveness without burning out.
This might look like hiring someone to:
4. Content and Marketing Support
Once your operations are humming along, marketing becomes your growth engine. Delegating parts of your content creation or marketing strategy can give you back hours each week.
You might hire a content writer, social media manager, or graphic designer to handle:
5. Website Updates and Tech Tasks
Even simple tech problems can derail your productivity. If you find yourself constantly Googling how to update a plugin, fix a broken link, or set up an email integration, it’s time to pass that baton.
A freelance developer or tech VA can take over tasks like:
How to Know When You're Ready
If you feel constantly behind, never get to the “big picture” work, or dread parts of your to-do list, it’s time to delegate. Don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed or burned out—build a support system early so you can grow sustainably.
Final Thoughts
Delegating isn’t about giving up control; it’s about creating space for the work only you can do. As your business grows, so should your support system. Start small, delegate strategically, and watch your productivity (and profits) rise. At Shore Source Business Solutions, we help small business owners identify what to offload and match them with the right support to keep things moving.
Let’s grow together.
