The word “solopreneur” is a relatively new term in the English language but as you likely already know, it describes a business owner who works alone. I have found that term to be useful in the collective conscious, but it’s really a misnomer. Successful solopreneurs do not work solo. They create a team of people who support them in their business so they can focus on the activities that they love and make them money.

However, not hiring assistance is one of the biggest hurdles that my private clients struggle to get over. I completely understand because I fought this tooth and nail for years! I would find myself thinking, “I can do that. I don’t want to pay to have someone do that! What a waste of money!”

Can you relate?

I’ll never forget the day those limiting thoughts started to leave me forever. I was lamenting to a neighbor about how much I had to do, how much time it was taking, and how I really just wanted to have more time with my family and get to bed at a normal hour. Unexpectedly, she offered to help me do some research, create a letter, make copies, create mailing labels and stuff some envelopes. While I knew she could handle these simple tasks, I was worried to let go of this important project. But something in me said to go for it. I provided her with some direction, and within a few days she called to say that everything was completed. After she dropped the project off, I felt so incredibly elated. The jobs I had given her were completed beautifully – without any additional effort on my part! It was really incredible! The weight that was lifted was truly life-changing, and I was absolutely hooked on the idea of not having it be the Lone Ranger in my business anymore!

For many business owners, solopreneurs particularly, spending money on outside help is a hard line to cross, particularly when you are first starting out. It seems counter-intuitive that you should hire someone so you can make more money, but that is truly what can happen when you do this right. The reason is that by outsourcing your more mundane tasks and things that you don’t like to do, you can focus on the activities that you enjoy which in turn, will bring you more income. If you find yourself thinking, “I just can’t do it all,” or “How do people do this?” or “I’m getting burned out,” you are a perfect candidate to create a plan for outsourcing.

To help you start thinking of the right things for you to outsource, make a list of all the things that you’d love to have done without lifting a finger. If you could wave your magic wand and have something done, what would that be? Accounting is a big one for many people. Administrative help such as answering your phone, following up with your client enrollment system or formatting your ebook may be good candidates for outsourcing. How about updating your web site with fresh copy or a new design, or creating a brochure or flyer? Do you need someone to help you research potential joint ventures? What about doing keyword research to increase your search rankings for your web site or pay-per-click ads? The list of what you can outsource is endless these days! Go wild and dream big by making a huge list. Then go back and whittle the list down later to find your top three things you’d like to outsource.

To find the right kind of help for your top three projects, ask your network who they recommend. You can go to AssistU to locate a Virtual Assistant (an administrative assistant who works from her/his own home). You can also try Elance for web development and design and a whole host of creative people searching for freelance work.

The key to effective outsourcing is to figure out what activities are draining you and stealing your precious time and energy. If you really take a close look at this, you may find that it’s time to make the investment in finding the help that you need. If you are just starting out and can’t justify the expense just yet, you can ask around in your network to find someone who will trade services with you. Or you can start small and only outsource one job at a time like I did.

Speaking of which, do you know what my first $50 in outsourcing expense brought me? Besides major stress relief and a sense of accomplishment, I also landed three corporate clients within one month. It also helped me make the decision to hire my first retainer Virtual Assistant and eventually an entire outsourcing Dream Team who have helped me steadily increase my business. Was that worth the investment? Every penny!