3. Get yourself a bookkeeper.
This is not complicated, though I seemed to make it as convoluted as possible early on in my own business before finally “getting it”: Recognize your strengths and weaknesses.
My weakness is not organizing and keeping receipts and not entering all this into QuickBooks. I suck big time at this, I know it, and now it isn’t on my list of things to do. Find a bookkeeper who is pushy, bossy, and relentless in annoying you until you get her what she needs to help you make your millions. That’s it.
4. Reach out and touch someone.
Small business owner slash entrepreneur rule #345 is drop the ego at the door and reach out and ask for what you need.
However you do it, be it by phone, e-mail, or in person, reach out to women who actually get you. Unlike men, who have a tendency to want to conquer, kill, and overtake, we like to incubate, share, process, collaborate, and connect beyond deals and dollar signs. Don’t get me wrong, we like dollar signs a whole lot. But we demand more.
My chosen unexpected “partner in help” is Ladies Who Launch. I can’t even recall how I came upon the LWL crew, but my reaching out to and participating in this network of women has changed my business in more ways than you all want to hear. A handful of women guided and supported the launch of two new divisions of my company, injected warmth and humor during the breakup with the love of my life, lent me free fabulous legal advice, and acted as a fresh reminder that the art of barter is not dead and actually works magnificently.
What I have learned from being a member of this community of driven, successful, innovative women is that when we reach out to each other and for one another, this success domino effect thing happens and we all have forward movement. Ask for what you need from like-minded people and you will get it and far more. I promise.
