Is there such a think as a self made man?
Ever been in a conversation about someone who did something remarkable and one person will make the comment, “he did it without any help”. No help huh? I’ve written professionally about this idea that there are no self made men, or women. I think it is quite arrogant to believe we can “do it” all alone. Somewhere along the way successful people get a bit of help here and there. Or, these same people understand they cannot reach their goals and seek out help.
I think the attitude that I can succeed of my own accord is why many small businesses like mine fail. If any entrepreneurs life looks mine: three active kids, two working parents, plus civic duties then throw in a budding small business and time is very valuable. It is foolish not to seek out and pay for, trade for, or get free help whenever possible. How else can all that a full life provides get accomplished?
Here is one way that I have begun to let go of things that I don’t have to do so I can focus on why I am doing all this in the first place! Bookkeeping I knew would be my down fall. My personality and accounting mix much water and oil. I know it is important and it had to be addressed. After a year of not keeping books I decided intervention was long overdue.
The process of determining the need for bookkeeper led me to several books which led me to oDesk.com. Here 1000s of freelancers avail their talents on any topic that can be thought of. I posted a job for a bookkeeping super freak and freelancers applied. John Paul from the Philippines applied among many others. I reviewed is work history, resume, and feedback from other employers. A Skype interview later and I had a bookkeeper. He is hired on a contract I created and he accepted. The contract is for 10 hours per week at $11.40 per hour. Odesk receives $1.40 and John Paul is paid $10.00 which is all handled via Odesk. John Paul has a user ID and password to my QuickBooks online and PayPal account that I control as administrator. All bank accounts are synced into QuickBooks. To date I’ve been paying right at $90 per week for his service. I can see a work log and screen shots of what he has done to be sure he is not logging on and doing nothing.
I hired another man to do 3D drawing via Odesk. If readers followed my updates regarding the 71’ Chevy cab this is the project I had completed. This project did not work out as well but that is my fault for assuming a guy in India could read my mind. This contract was for a flat fee. I posted the job of what I wanted completed. My budget was $150 and Ansch had the qualifications I was looking for from the candidate list. The work was brilliant but not to 1/64 scale. I decided to sell the original work as HO and create a new contract and make a new drawing in the correct scale. That work is not done presently.
It is hard to say I can’t do it and seek out help. It forces people with a personality like mine to set down and define explicitly what work I am trying to accomplish and move into a managerial role verses creator, dishwasher, and every other task that goes into a small business.
There are other short cuts I have adopted and want to employ in 2014. All in an effort to free up time to be creative to keep Rockin H a vibrant place for people seeking awesome models.
If there are questions about how to go about hiring a freelancer please leave your comments in the comment box. If you have another way to save time or a creative solution to your problems please share. Love to learn from you.
Thank Eric
