While listening to the results of a city audit today, a quote was mentioned from a member of the community: that you have three variables in capital projects – time, cost and quality. You can only control two out of those three and will always have to give up one in order to get the other two.

This had me thinking of how entrepreneurs have it right. They know they can’t control all three of these variables when it comes to their business (and it applies to a lot of other things in life too!) and they know what to do about it.

Mixing competence and intelligence

Knowing when to concentrate on their genius abilities and bring someone else into their business is a decision that at some point most business owners will have to make. They are wise enough to know that something has to give and also intelligent enough to realize which of the three it is. Giving up the quality of their services or products is not an option so that means more time spent on the business or they spend the money needed to buy someone else’s time.

Being competent means knowing why certain things need to be done and having the intelligence to get things done properly. Realizing that the results won’t be immediate, they have the maturity and the capability to oversee their business in a way that will bring future success. This is a results oriented way of thinking which is extremely important if you are running a business.

Strength of Character

Quite often found compelling, an aura of strength is very attractive to customers and the public alike. Inner strength or character is often found in entrepreneurs as they aren’t afraid of change and quite often welcome it. They always meet it head on. Becoming stagnant worries them, as it quite often means the end of their business or at the very least, a downturn.

Strength of character is shown by the vision entrepreneurs see of their businesses, whether others can see it or not. Those outside of a business rarely understand the blend of thinking and creativity that most business owners take for granted. Their mixture of decisiveness and innovation is what moves them forward. Knowing when to move and when to stay still and regroup is a critical part of their entrepreneurial ability.

Knowing what has the potential to help their business and what the downfalls of each decision could be, entrepreneurs almost always have certain characteristics not often found in those who prefer to work at a 9-to-5 job. Their ability to know what to give up in order to have what they most want is something that works across all platforms of their lives. Being in control of how their business runs and having the qualities that help them make decisions, which in the future will have the best outcome, are a result of qualities they have nurtured.

© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2014

Small business owners want to spend their time and their money wisely. The success of their business counts on them being able to decide what they can do in the present that will aid them in the future and also being able to plan ahead and set goals that are attainable. There are certain questions a business owner should ask themselves and also signs they should pay attention to, that tell them it’s time to get help.

Loss of direction

When you first started your business, believing in your product or service should have been uppermost in your mind. Starting a business for financial reasons or because you hated your job and were looking for an out were not the best reasons for starting a business and can lead to failure. If you saw a better way to provide a service or improve a product and started a business because of that, those were both good signs that you were headed in the right direction. If your reasons are good but you are losing your sense of direction, need additional marketing and sales staff as well as a long list of other necessary business skills, now is the time to hire a virtual team before chaos takes over.

Inability to focus

Another symptom of chaos, overwork, disorganization and lack of support staff is no longer being able to focus on the necessary tasks that keep your business running smoothly. Multi-tasking, having too many projects on your mind at one time and various solutions for different business problems popping into your head while you’re trying to concentrate, all result in poorer business performance, lower sales and eventually, a lack of enthusiasm for the smallest of tasks. A virtual team can take over any number of smaller and/or larger jobs that you need completed, from customer service to spreadsheets, from returning calls to advertising and marketing.

Lack of energy

When your energy lags and your interest with it, it usually means that you are either doing too much or have so many things to do you are unable to prioritize them and actually get them done. Suddenly nothing about your business interests you; not the work that you previously enjoyed as you watched your business grow and not your new customers, products and services. This can be a death knell for your business and one of the most glaring symptoms of a business that has been in need of help for quite awhile.

Whether any of the above signs sound familiar or there are others that leave you feeling you’re not doing for your business what needs to be done, hiring a virtual team is not as difficult as some business owners think. With a variety of services and talents, it’s as simple as taking the first step and arranging to speak with a professional team. Your business deserves it.

© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2014