The Secret to Avoiding Burnout

I was speaking with a successful entrepreneur the other day who, at the moment, does everything herself.

And I mean everything – from creating her course offerings to managing her social media, updating her website, and juggling all the other responsibilities a business owner faces.

When I asked if she had considered delegating, she immediately balked at the idea.

Yet, she was clearly burning out, feeling frazzled, and worried that she had reached the peak of her business growth, simply because there were only so many hours in the day.

As we dug deeper into the conversation, I discovered why she had such a strong reaction to hiring help.

A few years ago, she had a terrible experience with a contractor.

Poor communication, unmet expectations, and wasted money left her frustrated and gun-shy about outsourcing ever again. She ended up firing the contractor with nothing to show for her efforts.

That conversation brought me back to my first hiring experience many years ago. Thankfully, my story was the complete opposite of hers – and I know exactly why.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was, “Hire your weaknesses.”

Back when I was still a solopreneur, I was also working toward my business degree.

When I completed it, I was on such a learning high (yes, that’s the nerd in me) that I decided to go for a Computer Information Systems (CIS) degree. For context, in Canada, our degrees are four-year programs.

But the CIS program was a completely different beast.

Despite majoring in Computer Information Systems during my business degree, I struggled – especially with learning Java and tackling advanced math.

Eventually, I found myself asking, “Why am I putting myself through this when I could just hire someone to do it for me?”

Initially, I argued that understanding the programmer’s role would help me better manage them, but really, that was just my inner control freak talking.

Eventually, I lost that argument with myself and dropped the CIS program.

Instead, I made my first hire: Warren, a local university student and a brilliant programmer.

The relief I felt was instantaneous.

Not only did Warren know infinitely more than I did, but he also loved doing the technical work I had been forcing myself to slog through.

It was a dream on so many levels. I didn’t need to know how to do what Warren did – I just needed to understand the outcomes I wanted, and he made them happen.

What’s more, hiring him catapulted eVision Media to a whole new level.

Up until then, I was limited by my own skill set. Sure, I could design and build websites, but Warren brought a whole new dimension of functionality and features I couldn’t achieve on my own.

I had hired my weakness – and I didn’t stop there.

Next, I evaluated my skill set and realized my next biggest weakness was designing logos.

Yes, I had created a few logos up to that point, but I knew I was missing the subtle nuances of professional graphic design. So, my second hire was a graphic designer, and BOOM – eVision Media leveled up again.

It wasn’t just about adding new skills to my team.

Having true experts in these areas gave me the confidence to position eVision Media as a professional, reliable, and results-driven agency, and that confidence was magnetic to our ideal clients.

This is a lesson that many solopreneurs need to learn: By holding onto everything yourself, you’re likely stunting your growth potential.

Are you one of these people?

Returning to my conversation with the entrepreneur, it became clear why her first hiring experience had gone so poorly.

She hadn’t hired her weakness. Instead, she hired someone whose core competency was similar to her own – and, unsurprisingly, her expectations weren’t met.

When I pointed this out, I saw a wave of relief wash over her face.

Suddenly, she was open to the idea of building a team – people who could fill in the gaps, handle the tasks she dreaded, and bring expertise to areas outside her wheelhouse.

Now, imagine the growth, peace of mind, and renewed energy her business will experience when she finds the right team members to complement her strengths.

Having said that, if you’re afraid to hire help, you should ask yourself why. And more importantly, you should ask if that fear is valid or if it’s just holding you back from reaching your business’ true potential.

If you already have a team in place, I’d love if you’d share your experiences below.

And if you’re not where you want to be in your business, maybe it’s time to evaluate what needs to change to get you to the next level.

I can help with that. Let’s chat about how we can work together so you can achieve your goals and realize your full potential.

About the Author, Susan Friesen

Located in the lower mainland of B.C., Susan Friesen is a visionary brand strategist, entrepreneur, and founder of British Columbia’s premiere boutique web development and digital marketing agency, eVision Media.

With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she is an expert in helping businesses establish their online presence and create a strong brand identity.

Her passion for empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners to succeed in the digital world has earned her a reputation as a leading authority in the branding and marketing industry.

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