As an entrepreneur, you know that building a successful business takes some serious patience and hard work. But it can also help to have the right tools and team members. This last part is particularly true when it comes time to grow your business, but knowing when you need help can be challenging. After all, you may be used to tackling projects and achieving goals on your own. Unfortunately, if you really want to help your business thrive there are some jobs you simply cannot afford to take on solo, including these essential online projects.
Hiring New Staff Members
When job seekers are looking for new positions, they tend to rely on job boards, online postings and social networks, and you can use these same tools to find the right fit for your company. If this is your first time hiring full-time employees, however, you may need to do a little more homework before you begin interviewing candidates. That’s because certain laws and regulations, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, or FCRA, can dictate which online tools potential employers can use during the hiring process.
The FCRA stipulates that businesses can collect information only dating back 7 years during background checks, although some states may have more stringent requirements when it comes to processing background checks. Violating these rules could result in fines or even lawsuits. Now you can research these regulations on your own or you can save yourself some time and hassle by either working through a recruitment agency or hiring an HR professional before you hire any additional staff.
Maximizing Time & Productivity
Avoiding mistakes in the hiring process can save your business both money and time. Of course, if you have been growing your business, you know that saving time can be even more important than cutting costs. Effectiveness and productivity are absolutely critical when you are trying to take your business to the next echelon of success, and there are quite a few online tools you can use to achieve both.
If you are looking to do so on a budget, productivity apps like Asana, Tide, Todoist and Slack may be your best bet. These apps can keep you and your team organized when it comes to projects and many offer free or low-cost versions that can be highly effective. If you are looking for an even bigger boost in productivity, you can consider using these apps in conjunction with hiring a virtual assistant. Virtual assistant services, like the ones offered by Karen Repoli, can take care of administrative and organizational tasks for you and your team. Which will essentially create more time in your day for more important projects.
Preventing Costly Data Breaches
In addition to human resources and time management, digital security is a project you cannot leave up to chance when growing your business. Digital security, which is more often referred to as cybersecurity, can include practices and measures used to prevent identity theft, viruses, and other online threats that can impact your business and personal life.
Unfortunately, many small business owners make the mistake of letting cybersecurity take a backseat to other projects and needs. But this can be costly, or even fatal, mistake for your growing business. You see, online criminals are targeting small businesses more than ever before, and even one successful attack could do irreparable damage to your business.
If funds are tight you can research cybersecurity tips and tools on your own, but these may not be enough to fully protect your business. So if you are serious about growing your business, and have some room in your budget, consider hiring a cybersecurity consultant, even if it’s only on a freelance basis.
If your business is ready for the next chapter of success, you should be so proud! Getting to this level takes so much effort and dedication, and you’ve proven you have what it takes to succeed in business. So now is the perfect time to take a step back, evaluate your needs and figure out whether bringing in new tools or staff could help your business thrive.
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This week I welcome guest blogger, Lindsey Weiss. Lindsey is the co-creator of Outbounding, which aims to connect organizations to the publishers and webmasters who care about your vertical reach. She is passionate about marketing and protecting one’s web presence.
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