It is exciting to talk about hiring your first subcontractor or 1099 employee (in the U.S.). It is also a little scary. Today, I want to help you realize when you may be ready to subcontract. Here are 5 signs you’re ready to hire a virtual team member.
What Does Hiring A Virtual Team Member Mean
What does it mean to hire a virtual team member? In the online space, this is simply another term for subcontracting unless you intend to hire an employee. For our purposes, we will discuss hiring subcontractors.
A subcontractor is someone you contract with to work on your client’s tasks (most often) or your business backend tasks. Hiring a virtual team member is also referred to as an independent contractor or 1099 employee* in the United States.
*I always recommend that you consult your accountant or attorney. In the U.S., you need to meet the standards set forth by the IRS (see irs.gov).
#1 Sign: You Are Overworked
The first sign that it is time to bring on a team member is being overworked.
Defining overworked
- (of a person) having to work beyond their capacity or strength.”overworked nurses do not have time to adequately prepare patients for discharge”
- used to excess.”the strain of overworked muscles”
Being overworked or working beyond your capacity is not healthy and often leads to mistakes being made throughout the day. You are not at your best. As much as you think you continue to do it this way, history has proven that this does not work.
Therefore, being overworked is a sign that you should hire a subcontractor.
When I was a solopreneur and began to feel overworked and maxed out, I explored the ways I could get help with business. The freedom this brought back to me was incredible. Don’t wait if you are already feeling this way. Start exploring a way to work with subcontractors to help you.
If you are feeling overworked and ready to build that virtual team, then take a look at my “Boost Your Growth” checklist to help you decide which tasks you will delegate first.
#2 Sign: You Cannot Accept New Clients
It is a very dangerous sign when you cannot accept new clients.
The inability to accept new clients limits your business and causes your revenue to flatline!
Once your workload or bandwidth is maxed out, you’ve already exceeded the timeline of when you should hire someone to help you. This should be sounding alarm bells in your mind! It is telling you it’s beyond time to get the help you need.
#3 Sign: You Are Not Meeting Deadlines
If you are already experiencing this sign #3, you are in a very dangerous zone, especially if you are overworked and cannot accept new clients. Begin the process of hiring a person to help immediately.
It is a very serious sign when you start missing deadlines. Do not ignore this sign. It is a sign that you are tired, overworked, and truly need the help. Meeting your deadlines and delivering for your clients on their deliverables is imperative. Don’t damage your business’s reputation by continuing to do work this way. It is not scalable, and it will have the opposite effect on your business.
#4 Sign: Your Family And Friends Are Asking For Time
If you want to maintain a family life, then getting subcontracted help for your business is a must. I can remember my children and husband commenting (frequently) that I was on my computer, “all the time!”. My family and friends were asking for time that I was unable to give, until I brought on a team member.
Of course, I was not on my computer ‘all the time’. I do admit, however, to falling asleep on my laptop in my bed too frequently.
If your family and/or friends are asking for my time and it’s not an overexaggeration, then it’s time to make some adjustments. Adjustments like bringing on a subcontracted team member.
#5 Sign: You Are Unable To Take Time Off
The fifth sign that it’s time to bring on a virtual team member is the inability to take time off or take a vacation without working. Yes, I’ve been here too! I went on a cruise and had to finish up a course for a large freelancing platform. I spent much of my time just trying to get a connection to send the file on. It took away from my time with my husband and the time we had to enjoy the cruise itself.
I do things differently now. I enjoy the cruise or vacation first, and then if I have time to work, I can, but it is secondary. It is all about setting those priorities first and keeping them with yourself, your family, and friends. Do not make your work everything in your life. Yes, it’s important, but it should not overrule everything else. Priorities first, then add on other things.
Time away from your business is a priority for your health and to maintain your relationships. Time away from the business can also give you creative ideas that you would not have had if you were overworking in your business.
