Solopreneurs... what part of your business do you dread?

[CallBettie]

For me it's sales! If you could outsource one piece of work what would it be?

[Freelancier]

I used to dread the accounting/business end of running a business... but then I had a business fail because my partners messed up the accounting/business end of it. And around the same time, I heard the phrase "that which we resist, persists" and realized that if I didn't want to make the same mistakes, I needed to attack the things I dread so that they don't bite me in the butt because of my own fears.

So... there's nothing I really dread or would outsource because I dread it. There are activities that I find that are money-losers for me, so those I outsource... like doing my taxes, which I pay far less to have a professional do it and I use those hours to earn more money instead. Also, mowing the lawn. Better to pay a pro $50 a week for his crew's half-hour than for me to spend 2 hours on it.

What I'm getting to is that if you dread something, you better get good enough at it or it'll come back to bite you. After you are good enough at it, you can then look to see if outsourcing it will be more profitable than just doing it yourself.

[Harold Mansfield]

On my blog it takes me a long time to write blog posts even though I only write about 30% of them. Unfortunately it cannot be outsourced because reviews, and TBT's have to be in my own words. Social Media used to add to that time, but I pretty much have that part streamlined now and schedule SM updates in advance.

As for my main business of web design and support, I spend A LOT of time with people who don't know how to use their own computers and devices. It's actually becoming a problem since that is not what I do, nor should I have to teach people how to do simple things like clear a cache, send email attachments, or set their email up on their own computers.

I'm pretty much over people who have been in business for years and still don't know the basics.

[Paul]

Couple good points. As Freelancier suggested,if you dread it, don't avoid it! It will cost you and sometimes dearly. Better to hit it head on than letting whatever it is go unattended. Like Harold, you should work to streamline and preplan. That makes your "dread" much more manageable. In any case don't dismiss the dreaded parts of your business, in fact you may even want to embrace those parts because that is sometimes where you can smoke the competition! They probably don't like those parts either.

[JustinSkinner]

Ah Freelancier nailed it on the head. Taxes. I hate messing around with them. I hired a good CPA and never looked back.

And mowing the lawn too :D

[Fulcrum]

Having to tell customers that their in house maintenance programs suck, they use incorrect settings and expect top line throughput, and that they need to spend $10K to replace bearings and realign their equipment.

[webdesignphx]

Accounting hands down!

[huggytree]

i really dont mind any of it....i see all of it as a game/challenge.......

i only hate dealing with poorly organized remodelers/builders because im anal and organized

[billbenson]

I as well think freelancer had a lot of good points. Except I only pay $35 to have my yard mowed. :)

I hate clerical work. That includes taxes, accounting, and order entry.

Unlike the OP, I enjoy sales. Even though I'm naturally a shy guy I decided sales is where the money is and I needed to come out of my comfort zone. Think about it. Asking a girl out on a date is sales. And the girl accepting the date and going on the date is also selling. Getting a job is sales. A lot of what you do in life is sales. That's one you can't really get away from. And to me, getting that big deal that makes me $40k or whatever is a real adrenalin rush. And again I'm the shy guy. But I've come out of that comfort zone so many times over my life that It's now natural for me.

[Wozcreative]

I have a difficult time "being in the zone" and then having someone call me or having to stop for a conference call that I rarely ever need to be on.

[bjay99]

Administrative stuff... paperwork, filing, invoicing, collecting, taxes...

[jp7]

I have no employees at the moment and work 40+ hours a week, not counting paperwork and phone calls and what not which take up another 10 - 25 hours a week depending on when invoices went or go out. So, I hate phone calls and setting up appointments. I know they are highly important, but it is just not at the top of list of things I want to do when I get home.

[Kreater]

I tread any type of labor; I'm overworked at 70 hours per week, every week of the year. My energy is drained. I'm stressed out. My health is fading.

I work more than a Chinese child in slave labor, and for probably the same amount of wage and earning.

I'd hire employees if I could afford them. The first thing I'd do is force the employee to take over my labor tasks.

[freelanceadmin]

Marketing is really tough. Even with the use of technology, networking is time consuming.

[user2837]

I would outsource cold-call telemarketing. Not fun.

[triadmatt]

I do not dislike or really dread any part of my business, because I love what I do. However, the thing that is the most uncomfortable or difficult for me is the marketing/cold calling for my business. The reason being is that I just am not that good at it, I am kind of shy and feel dumb and really uncomfortable doing it. I know I will get good at it in time, but right now it is the most difficult.

[billbenson]

Guys: in this day and age there are so many marketing options including flyers, door hangers, web sites, social media, etc., that you shouldn't have to cold call. Do your marketing properly and prospects call you. Then it's your job to sell them. Use good marketing to get people to call you. Then you sell them.

[Dimolimo]

I guess "online industry" requires a good management no matter what. Either you are good from the start or you need time to achieve the goal. One on one everyone will have to understand that gold times are gone and now all strategies need to be twisted in order to achieve something especially when you are working alone. One on one it takes time. Outsourcing means investment. I would go with solo work but hard work and dedication.

[Harold Mansfield]

Guys: in this day and age there are so many marketing options including flyers, door hangers, web sites, social media, etc., that you shouldn't have to cold call. Do your marketing properly and prospects call you. Then it's your job to sell them. Use good marketing to get people to call you. Then you sell them.

Yep. My entire business model is based on bringing the customers to me and then closing them. I'll do anything I have to, learn whatever I need to, and spend what has to be spent in order to avoid having to do cold calling, phone sales, or any other heinous boiler room grind for new customers.

[businessbee123]

Billing!!!!!!!

[GenX]

Marketing is not hard but it is tedious. The constant worry about ROI is a big one for me. I solve it by hiring a general manager and let them worry about it :)

[will.i.earn]

Cold calling I think is easier done by people with a certain personality. Unfortunatelly, I am not that type.

[Zman]

Accounting, Accounting, Accounting! I thought Quickbooks would make it easier but a good CPA is well worth the money.

[broudie]

Customer support is the worst. It's always emotionally draining. If I have 5 gallons of willpower a day, a single customer complaint drains 3 gallons.

I've started a completely new business selling pre-owned luxury goods, and man customer support for that is magnitudes higher than new luxury goods.

[shrinkme]

I have to go with accounting. I'm in the process of closing a month and it takes me three or four days each month. Accounting for taxes is interesting also... would love to shed these tasks and concentrate on sales.

[amandab]

On my blog it takes me a long time to write blog posts even though I only write about 30% of them. Unfortunately it cannot be outsourced because reviews, and TBT's have to be in my own words. Social Media used to add to that time, but I pretty much have that part streamlined now and schedule SM updates in advance.

As for my main business of web design and support, I spend A LOT of time with people who don't know how to use their own computers and devices. It's actually becoming a problem since that is not what I do, nor should I have to teach people how to do simple things like clear a cache, send email attachments, or set their email up on their own computers.

I'm pretty much over people who have been in business for years and still don't know the basics.

Have you thought about creating a couple of documents that you can just forward over to the people who don't know how to do those things? That way you don't have to keep teaching computer illiterate people and wasting your time. It could have steps and screenshots that would take a little bit of time to put together but then after that you won't have to keep explaining it.