How do you run your business day to day

Hello Fellow DP'rs

I have an interesting questions for you. How do you run your day to day operation for your business? Do you outsource your business and if so how is it working out for you.

 

I work on my business day to day very hard to bring it to huge success, I don't outsource things that I can accomplish myself. I plan ahead and put my ideas on paper, always. I try to make a list of decisions I made and which came out as successful versus bad decisions and learn from mistakes. Before taking any decision which involves time/money I do a full research, and always, always time is money.

 

I'm like you when it comes to working hard.

 

I wouldn't spend my time on things that are very basic/manual and can be outsourced for a cheaper price compared to my hourly rates in spite of me being able to do it.

You should outsource manual/basic/boring stuff and focus on creative, hi-quality work which can make you more money in the long run.
A lot of designers outsource psd-xhtml jobs in spite of being able to do it just for spending more time on designing rather than coding.

 

When I wanted to start a writing business, I first thought of going local. However, I noticed that hiring locals is very expensive. Additionally, I would need to have a physical location and have my business registered etc... So I decided to have all of my work outsourced - lower price and same quality of work. However, this messes up my sleep time big time. I'd have to wake up early to communicate assignments or stay up late to have them handed in. Moreover, I use long-term writers and not temporary writers. I get to build good relationships and I have business matters under control. I guess this works for me because I run a writing team. Don't know how it would be for a web design company for example.

 

We follow the Kaizen principle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaizen
One small step each day and we keep growing and growing

 

Just hire someone to assist me, and of course if the work is overload, then outsource or get a part time to help

 

Interesting thread, and since I am myself new to the reality of the business world. I have definitely found you don't end up doing what you always intend to in a days work, always plan for problems.

I have now started planning our weeks roughly ahead, based on the hours we work, and generally put realistic times with overlap to make sure the majority of our work gets completed on time. I did programming and software development at University so they drilled Gantt Charts and planning ahead down our necks.

I try to use my spare time more productively now, and when I have an hour or so free, I will use it in researching a new technology, or finding out new methods to promote my business and in other cases planning an in-house project that we can roll out when the work isn't quite coming through as quick.

What I have learnt is not to plan too precisely and always allow for overlap, like anything really. If anything it allows for relaxation time, which I DO indeed believe is very important, especially when working in a creative industry. My input


Thanks.

 

Initially it can be quite difficult when you have been used to working for yourself, and doing everything yourself, to hand over responsibilities of your business to someone else.

 

for some not understandable reason outsourcing never worked greatly for me, so i always try to accomplish tings by myself. It takes much longer but in long term pay off much better

 

I do that too, I just did not know that it had a name

 

Hi Gmoney38, I do like this.

I have sched. my day into tasks, to get more effective. Like this.

8.00 to 8.15 ( sending kids to school)
8.15 to 8.30 ( answering email from clients )
8.30 to 9.00 ( call clients for updating on their progress and do more offline selling)
9.00 to 9.15 (break)
9.15 to 12.00 ( gettiing clients activites )
12.00 to 12.30 ( lunch break + call my personal business coach - at least once a week)

Do you see, what I getting at.....

Schedule time and get things done. This will make your business come forward in the fast track lane.



I have one coach for business issues, and one coach for private development issues.


I call them both - once a week.


best regards, LASSE

 

Yep, agree.
If your hourly rate is highly than the outsourced rate, then outsource it so you can make more $$ and also devote your time to strategic and creative planning/ brainstorming (or in my case, more time for recreation/ relaxation time LOL )

 

simple: i get up, get stuff done in my online business, outsource things i dont like or dont know much about, them go to my offline work, come home and work online and get my outsourced work delivered

 

Like most business owners, I find it very difficult to outsource things I can do myself. But, this limits me. I need to put more faith in the abilities of other people. Right now I have one part-time employee and several invaluable freelancers. Hopefully, over the next year or so, I can become more of an effective manager and less of a jack-of-all-trades.