Starting a business from scratch requires a huge amount of hard work, and entrepreneurship is certainly not for the fainthearted. Indeed, getting an idea off the ground calls for extreme dedication, meticulous planning and perseverance in the face of adversity. However, this doesn’t mean that taking certain shortcuts is out of the question; in fact, using your time and resources wisely and knowing when to cut corners is a business skill in itself. Here are some useful hacks that will make starting a business easier without compromising on results.
Master the Art of Delegation
As an entrepreneur, it can be difficult to let go of the reins – it’s your business, after all, and you want to make sure things run as they should. However, it’s crucial to keep sight of the bigger picture, and taking a back seat on the smaller things will ultimately enable you to focus on the company’s greater goals. In the words of Virgin founder Richard Branson, “if you really want to grow as an entrepreneur, you’ve got to learn to delegate.” This involves outsourcing and trusting others to take on certain tasks, especially in areas where you may lack expert knowledge. This might not come naturally to you, but it will profit your business in the long run.
Embrace Simplicity
When it comes to launching a startup, there are certain corners that simply cannot be cut – such as marketing and customer service. On the other hand, there are plenty of jobs that can and should be simplified. A good example is the task of creating your website. Rather than learning code and becoming a design expert, or spending substantial funds on hiring an agency, a website builder tool can help you to quickly achieve a professional website at a fraction of the cost. By using such tools, you can take advantage of ready-made templates, easy-to-use editing and even in-built SSL security, allowing you to create a unique, fully functional website in just a few steps. In fact, this goes for anything; if there is a quicker, easier route that brings you exactly the same end result, always take it. Far from equaling laziness, knowing when to take this approach will free up more time to focus on the bigger picture.
Take Advantage of Technology
Finally, there is no better shortcut than technology itself, and integrating the right systems and programs will fast-track your business to productivity. If the nature of your business allows for it, technology can be used to facilitate a remote working model, thus doing away with the process of setting up a physical office. However, even if a virtual setup is not the best solution for your startup, video calling software and cloud computing can still eliminate unnecessary travel and streamline the way the business runs. Equally, never stop exploring new tools that may optimize company processes – instant messaging instead of email for internal communication, for example, or a tool like Hootsuite to manage all of your social media accounts from one central location.
By taking advantage of shortcuts that save time and resources whilst still yielding exceptional results, you can ensure maximum productivity and a faster route to entrepreneurial success.