Imagine you’re at a job site or in the office, juggling tasks like a circus performer. You’re handling the budget, overseeing projects, jumping into sales calls, fixing a machine, and maybe even answering the phone because your receptionist had to run to the store. Sound familiar?
Congratulations, you’re the CEO – Chief EVERYTHING Officer. You’re doing it all and as noble as that sounds, it’s exhausting. You keep telling yourself, “If only I could find someone who thinks like me, acts like me, and works like me, then everything would be perfect.”
But here’s the cold, hard truth: You’re never going to find that person. Why? Because anyone who thinks and acts like you isn’t applying to your job – they’re out there running their own business. They’ve got the entrepreneurial mindset just like you do. And unless you’re in the business of acquiring other companies, you’re not going to hire them.
The Entrepreneurial Mindset – It’s a Blessing and a Curse
Entrepreneurs are special. We’re visionaries, dreamers, and (if we’re being honest) a little bit meticulous. That drive and that hustle is what sets us apart and allows us to build businesses from the ground up.
But here’s the problem: that mindset often makes us believe we’re the only ones who can do the job right. And that’s where the trouble begins.
Let’s look at an example. Mike runs a roofing company. He’s been in the industry for over 20 years and he’s built a reputation for high-quality work and reliability. But Mike’s company isn’t growing as fast as he’d like. Why? Because he’s involved in every single aspect of the business. He’s running sales, doing quality checks, handling customer service calls, and even training new hires. Mike keeps looking for someone who can step into his shoes, but every time he hires, he’s disappointed. No one seems to think like him and before too long he’s back to doing everything himself.
What Mike doesn’t realize is that his entrepreneurial mindset is both his greatest strength and his biggest roadblock. He wants to hire someone just like him, but what he really needs is to hire people who are better than him in specific areas. Mike needs to let go of the idea of finding his clone and start focusing on building a team.
Start Building Your Dream Team
So, here’s the big takeaway: You will never find someone to replace you. You won’t find someone who can wear all the hats you do. And that’s okay! The sooner you come to terms with this, the sooner you’ll be able to grow.
Think about it – do you really want to keep wearing all those hats? I bet most of them don’t even fit right. You might be decent at sales, but are you a sales rock star? Maybe you know enough about accounting to keep things afloat, but are you an expert? If you’re honest with yourself, the answer is probably no.
Your job as a business owner isn’t to be the best at everything; it’s to find the best people for every role.
If you’re ready to give up a few responsibilities, start by documenting all the “hats” you wear in your business. Make a list of the roles and tasks you take on daily. Then, ask yourself which of these hats you’d like to pass on to someone else. Who could do these tasks better than you? Spoiler alert: when you focus on each role separately, you’ll find great people who are ready to work hard.
How Delegating Transformed My Business
Let me tell you about my own journey. When I first started my company, I was doing everything. I was in charge of marketing, sales, customer service, invoicing – you name it. And I was good at most of it. The business was growing, but I was exhausted. I had hit a wall.
It wasn’t until I let go of the idea of finding someone like me that things really started to take off. I hired a Recruiting Manager and a Content Creator who were both better than I ever was at their respective jobs. Suddenly, I had more time to focus on strategy, building relationships, and thinking about the future of the business. My company grew faster than ever and I wasn’t stuck in the weeds anymore.
This was the power of the entrepreneurial mindset. It wasn’t about finding someone just like me, but about finding people who could help me take my business to the next level.
Document Your Hats and Let Them Go
Here’s a fun exercise: take a look in the mirror. Now, picture yourself wearing all the hats you wear at work. Go ahead, pile them on. There’s the marketing hat, the sales hat, the operations hat, the HR hat, the customer service hat, and oh, don’t forget the finance hat! Now, ask yourself, “Do I really look good in all these hats?”
Chances are, the answer is no. Some of those hats are probably too big, too small, or just downright uncomfortable. And that’s okay. You weren’t meant to wear all of them. So, it’s time to take a good, hard look at which hats you need to give up and hand them over to someone who can absolutely crush it in that role.
Start by documenting what each hat entails. What tasks do you handle in that role? What decisions do you make? What skills are required? Once you have a clear picture, it’s time to start looking for someone who’s better suited to wear that hat.
The Fear of Letting Go
I know what you’re thinking. “But if I give up this role, what if they don’t do it right? What if they mess it up?” I hear you. As business owners, we’re naturally protective of our companies. But here’s the thing – by holding on to everything, you’re actually holding back your business.
Think about it this way: if you’re spending your time on tasks that someone else could do better, you’re not spending time on the things that only you can do – like growing your business, making big decisions, and leading your team.
It’s scary to let go, but it’s also necessary. Trust your team. Train them well. Give them clear expectations. And then step back. You might be surprised at how much better things run without you micromanaging every detail.
Embrace the entrepreneurial mindset and focus on what matters.
