What We Feel: There are parts of the business that I wish I could avoid. There are other parts of the business that I know I have to do, but I really struggle to do well. Both really weigh me down, but who else is going to do them?
Understanding what parts of the business you should be working on and what parts you should be passing to others is a critical part of running an early-stage company. Entrepreneurs, especially in the beginning, are expected to do everything. There are areas of the business that we could work at endlessly and never get tired. You see this in creative businesses where fashion designers, filmmakers and technologists spend countless hours creating. These parts of the business bring genuine enjoyment, fulfillment and your best ideas. We rarely look at the clock and say, I wish this part of my day would end.
There are other parts of the business that you dislike or even dread. These areas can be as draining and debilitating as others are energizing and enjoyable. I can’t tell you how many entrepreneurs say that they would work all night on creating their product or service but would rather stick needles in their eyes than do “accounting.” The effort you spend here feels incredibly inefficient and counterproductive. You may be someone that loves to work alone but hates managing people. You may be someone that loves creating a value position but the technology behind it gives you the shakes. Working on these tough spots saps your energy.
Finally, there are parts of the business that need to be done, and while you are capable of the work, you’re just not cut out for it. Unfortunately, entrepreneurs often don’t realize their deficiencies in this area. If the company needs someone to set priorities, develop a sales plan, create an investment package or determine a sales approach, and you have little experience or capability in these areas, your insistence that you take the lead can set the company back. If the bottom line is seeing results, applying a good “college try” can actually hamper the ability of the business to get the resources it needs.
Identifying where your skills can be supplemented or complemented can quickly accelerate your company’s growth. Once you recognize these areas, you can plan accordingly.
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