At What Time Do You Ask for Help?

We are men, raw raw!!!! Sometimes we are too proud to ask for help, for those of you that are married you probably hear this all too often. “Why didn’t you stop and ask for directions, why didn’t you ask the sales clerk?”You know what I’m talking about! Unfortunately there is an air of truth to the fact that we do have a high pride level and don’t ask for help as much as we should. Women are much better at knowing when they have to start asking for help on certain things and when they have it covered. The truth is that in business if you take too long to ask for help you may be out of business. Business has an unforgiving way of making you swallow your pride in a hurry if you plan on being successful. Too long in a bad area and your business will be unable to catch up and have to default to bankruptcy. So how do you know when things are too tough to carry on by yourself and when you should start looking for help with your operation?

First the best way to start is to start correctly. We all could use a helping hand when starting out, especially in the accounting department. It is very important to make sure the accounting part of your business is set up properly and for growth. There are certain tax codes used in the accounting world that are universal and important for you to have located in the right place. This will help your accountant down the road to make sure you’re getting the best tax advice for your business. Realize what you can do yourself and what you should have other people do. Now this area is very gray and I have seen much money spent on stuff that wasn’t required. Let’s take a look at your bookkeeping for example, you could do it yourself but that would take time away from your family, you would require a bookkeeping background, training, and so on. If you don’t have that then you are best to hire a bookkeeper and focus on other ways of running your business. That being said I am a firm believer that you have KNOWLEDGE of the different aspects of your business. So in the bookkeeping example understanding what is required for receipts, how to organize them, is essential for you to know and will immensely help your bookkeeper therefore saving you cash flow. If you are having trouble with your bills, can’t seem to make a profit, or are having trouble getting your business organized then you may be at a point where you should bring in some outside help.

Don’t wait for your business to go down the tubes to realize you should have asked for help.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a business and leadership consultant. His OS Program helps owner operators and entrepreneurs run successful businesses. To learn more about the program please visit his website at www.outridge.ca