Running a business is hard work when you are in the best of health. It can be tough for entrepreneurs to strike that balance between work and a happy private life full of wellness. But let’s face the facts: it is even harder when you are suffering from a chronic illness. You have to look after yourself, first and foremost. This does not mean running a business is impossible, however; far from it, in fact.

One of the keys to success is choosing the right people and products to work with. Building up a network of reliable, trusted service providers can help your business thrive, and take some of the pressure off. Here’s how you go about outsourcing work to others, while retaining full control over your business aims.

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Understand your strengths and weaknesses

Regardless of your illness, you have to know yourself before outsourcing any projects. It is vital that you understand your strengths and weaknesses. Not in a physical sense, of course – I mean where your business knowledge and abilities lie. These skills will be the drivers of your business, and it’s vital to use them in the most efficient way. That means spending as much time as possible on things you do well and contribute to earning while identifying areas that you don’t do so well. This will give you the opportunity to pass on those time-consuming tasks that end up costing you money.

Learn the basics

A little knowledge can take you a long way when it comes to selecting perfect partners. You don’t need to be an expert by any means, but it’s worth taking a little time to learn about specific areas. For example, you don’t need to learn code to hire a website designer. But it will be handy if you understand some of the basic principles of web design, so you hire the right people. However, you might find that expensive hires aren’t always necessary. Let’s say you want more website traffic, for example. You can put your new knowledge to good use with a white label SEO product instead of hiring an expensive consultant.  

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Identifying potential partners

Once you know where you need help, it’s time to start the interview process. Never hire anyone without speaking to them first, in person. There are a lot of risks here, and it is essential to understand if you can both work together. Ask for recent examples of their work – and to speak to former clients. Don’t feel under pressure to hire anyone unless you are happy to do so.

Forming an agreement

If you are happy to work with a particular firm, make sure you have an agreement in place. They will provide some degree of service to you, but, like everything in life, it will cost you money. You need to outline everyone’s expectations right from the start of your relationship so that you can get a get a good return on that investment. Make sure they are clear about what they are doing before signing any contracts. Don’t forget; outsourcing is about making your life easier. Constant questions and requests for help are not going to help you achieve that goal, and can add a lot of stress.

I hope this brief guide has helped you form an idea of how outsourcing can help – and hinder –  you. Let me know if you have any more questions!