The Scary Step Up from One-Man-Band

[David Braziel]

Im an IT consultant and Ive been self employed now for over a year. In that year Ive had no problem getting work - ive done no advertising, no marketting and Im pretty much up to my ears.

But I feel like Im now hitting some sort of ceiling. I cant work many more hours (there arent many more hours!) and I dont feel I can put my rates up by much. Im spending more time than I would like to on stuff that someone a lot more junior could be doing but Im nervous about taking on employees.

It feels like Ive reached one of those decision points and I'd be grateful for any advice or suggestions from other small businesses who have been there themselves or are at the same point right now.

I feel like Im on that tipping point between being a freelance worker and running a business.

What do you all think?

David.

[David Braziel]

OK - Well as of tomorrow morning I am no longer a one-man-band. Ambit is now a two-piece. I interviewed several candidates and (touch wood) found someone I think I can work with.

Give it a few months and I'll be starting a new thread on the scary step up from a two-man band.

If anyone out there is looking for expert ICT advice or solutions now is a good time to ask - I want a full order book. Actually the order book is pretty full already but there is always room for more.

David.

[Alex Bellinger]

Congratulations David. As long as you keep extending the order book, you ought to be able to keep adding new staff ... sorry that sounds mind-numbingly obvious. It occurred to me though that the step you've just taken is probably the hardest, but that moving on from employee #2 is probably easier.

Let us know and here's to Ambit's continued growth!

[Peter Draper]

Yes - Well done! I hope everything works out. I think the biggest issue when looking for staff in a small business is finding people with the similar attitudes and that you feel you can work with and trust. Afterall it has taken some time to build a reputation and it only takes one mistake to break that! Drop me a line if you want to discuss further.

Good luck.

[Adeena Mignogna]

I know this reply is coming after you've already taken the plunge (I just learned about this "ning" thing), but I have a few more comments not that you're no longer a "freelance worker" - you're "running a business".

1) Do you have a business plan? In one of your comments, you mentioned that you were looking for a more scientific approach to figuring out if you should raise your rates. That would be the financials of a business plan.

2) My business experience as an owner/entrepreneur is in retail, but having employees is having employees - especially when you rely on them to interact with your customers. I recommend making sure you set the expectations with your new employee. Written expectations work well for me (as an employer and employee).

3) Now that you have a new employee, make sure this person also has the ability to bring in new business - you have someone out in the world interacting with outher humans who could become potential customers. Make sure he/she knows what to do to identify new business and seal a dela or bring it to your attention.

4) And Lastly... hope for the best but prepare for the worst. If for some reason it doesn't work out, don't be afraid to let this person go. Firing your first employee is harder than hiring your first, but we all have to do it at some point.

Hope this helps! (and isn't too late!)

-Adeena