Biggest Artisan Mistake #4
Delegating too much
Even though you didn’t become an artist just to balance a checkbook, you must know how to balance it. It’s so important to have a good—though not necessarily expert—understanding of every aspect of your business. You must know a little bit about every part of your business so you can guide and direct those people you hire to help you get things done, whether as employees, contractors, or vendors. Only then can you decide what concrete steps you can take to either gain needed skills yourself or properly outsource them to a professional.
A clear picture of the end result you desire is an absolute must in proper outsourcing. But so is the “follow up” component. Delegation is not abdication. No one will be as interested in the success of your business as you… not your employees, not your banker, not even your mother. I know of a dance studio that nearly went bankrupt when its one employee charged tens of thousands of dollars of personal items on the owner’s credit card. The owner never reviewed the charges on the credit card statements each month … statements were just passed on, unopened, to the same employee “trusted” perpetuating the fraud. Not everyone is out to steal you blind, but unintentional errors or customer service missteps can be just as costly. When it comes to delegation, a smart business owner lives by the motto, “Inspect, don’t expect.”
