Delegating for Bookkeepers

Are you at the point in your bookkeeping business where you're ready to start delegating?

Maybe you're not really too sure about taking this next step though. and you're feeling fearful about it.

You're not alone. This is entirely normal, and there are lots of reasons why this might be the case.

Bringing someone else into your business and moving your business from just you to a team is a big step, and it can feel daunting.

But if you're at a point where you're stretched too thin, not meeting deadlines, or always apologizing for taking too long to get back to clients, then it's time to start thinking about delegating.

Bookkeepers I've coached over the years are often scared about building a team for several reasons, including:

👉 feeling like you don't know how to manage staff

👉 fear of hiring the wrong person

👉 worry that the team member will make a big mess of things that you will have to clean up

👉 your clients expecting only you to do their work, or becoming unhappy with the new arrangement

👉 concern that you won't be able to pay the both of you with the workload that you have

These are all valid concerns, and if you don't know where to start with it, it can feel overwhelming and can stop you in your tracks.

There is certainly an element of risk involved when building a business and it can feel like you're taking on a big financial risk.

But there are lots of things you can do to mitigate the risks.

Think about everything that you're not getting to because you're stretched too thin. 

Think about all of the opportunities that you're not getting to, like offering additional services, either to current clients or potential clients.

Write it all down and put a $ value to it if you can.

Remember that it's not like you're going to be sitting there twiddling your thumbs once you hand over work. I have never worked with a bookkeeper where that happens.

As you move from bookkeeper to business owner your role changes and you start to make better use of your time. 

You get to do the work in the business that you enjoy and hand over bookkeeping work to a bookkeeper who enjoys doing that work.  

Building a team is the only way to get past the point where you're stretched too thin (aside from firing clients - which is also a good idea in some cases).

Along with great systems and processes, this is taking your business to a level where it has value.

It's where what you have is past a job for yourself, and is a business that is worth something.

At some point in the future when you feel like you've had enough, you can sell a business with value like that. Or you can ease yourself out and take profit from it.

You have more options when you've built a team, and that's where I can help you.

If you're at the point where you're needing to delegate and build a team, and you're interested to see how business coaching with me will help you to get there, then apply to join From Bookkeeper to Business Owner here.

PS: One misconception that I hear often is that all of the good bookkeepers are running their own businesses. But that's not true. There are a lot of great bookkeepers who have no desire whatsoever to start their own business. They like to be part of a team and they like to have someone to bounce ideas off and ask for help when needed. But sales, marketing, and all of the hats of business ownership, they have no desire to be part of that at all.