Many business owners and entrepreneurs begin as industry specialists. They know everything there is to know about their area of expertise, whether it is plumbing, marketing, or yoga. They decide to parlay those skills into a full-fledged business and become entrepreneurs.
That all sounds straightforward. After all, the entrepreneur knows that their skills are valuable. They have been paid for them in the past, and customers are still clamoring for those skills.
But what most often happens is that these freshly minted entrepreneurs simply give themselves a job with no benefits, where they have to do all of the accounting, and almost no fallback plan. They basically trade a 40-hour work week for an 80-hour work week with more stress and the same pay.
This is not ideal, and it’s not the goal business owners have. Every business owner I have talked to has told me that the main reason they built their own company was to achieve greater freedom in their lives—not so they could work more hours and learn how to use QuickBooks.
In a recent discussion, Adi Klevit of Business Success Consulting Group and Gary Cohen, VP of Certified Contractors Network, talked about how business owners can transform from specialists in their field to true entrepreneurs while achieving freedom along the way.
How to Go From Specialist to Business Owner
Here are the three keys to going from a specialist in an area to a full-fledged business owner.
1. Systemize Everything
One of the most significant shifts from being a specialist to a business owner is to stop working “in” your business and start working “on” your business. This transition involves developing processes and procedures for every aspect of your company. No matter how excellent your technical skills are, without structure, your business can’t grow beyond your personal capacity.
Systematization is a critical aspect of this transition. It involves documenting and standardizing everything, ensuring that the same tasks get done the same way every time—whether you are there or not.
Key areas to systemize include:
- Hiring and Onboarding
- Sales
- Product/Service Delivery
- Customer Service
- Accounting
By systemizing your business, you make it scalable, predictable, and easier to manage.
2. Delegate
As a specialist-turned-business owner, it is tempting to try to control every aspect. You know your craft, and you feel that no one can do things to your standard. But the reality is, again, your business will never grow beyond your capacity if you are the only one who can sign off on anything. You will create bottlenecks and get burnt out if you do not delegate.
Delegation doesn’t mean you pass off tasks haphazardly. It means identifying the right people with the right skills to handle tasks that don’t need your direct involvement.
For example, if you are a plumber now opening a plumbing business, you should not be the one creating every bid. You should be focusing on building the company, differentiating your business from the competition, and hiring the best plumbers in your area. So, instead of getting mired in bids and invoices, hire a sales team who can do the bidding for you, close the jobs, and get your plumbers all the work they need to make your business successful.
3. Build a Process for Knowledge Transfer
If all the information is in your head, you will always be on call. If you ever want a day off, you must document the essential knowledge you are carrying and get it into the hands of your team.
Knowledge transfer documents are detailed guides that outline how things are done in your business.
Some examples of what you should document include :
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Checklists
- Training Manuals
- Business Processes
Transferring your knowledge to your team frees up your time and ensures your business can function smoothly without your direct involvement.
Transitioning from a specialist to a business owner isn’t easy, but it’s the key to building a company that provides you with both financial success and personal freedom. By systemizing your business, delegating tasks, and creating knowledge transfer documents, you’ll move from being a hands-on technician to a true entrepreneur who can work on your business rather than in it.
Are you ready to take the next step in business growth? Contact Business Success Consulting Group today and schedule a free business evaluation with one of our process experts.
