Business PSA: Pay your workers ON TIME!!
Business ownership is a rough game. Rewarding, but rough.
There comes a time in business life where you'll need to expand and collaborate with others to grow and scale your business. Usually, this happens by hiring contractors to work and build out specific facets of your business, like social media, customer relations, automations, virtual assistance, etc.
As a business owner, I can relate. I begin dreaming again and get soooooo excited when contractors tell me what they can do for my business, to take it to the next level.
And this is where discernment and integrity come into play.
I've seen it a few ways, as being both the owner and the contractor.
Owners:
1. You get excited and say yes, yes, YES!! to all the fabulous ideas the contractor lays out for you. But, when it comes time for you to pay the invoice, you are slow to pay or you haggle about pricing AFTER the work has been done by the contractor, because you didn't budget well.
Set an honest budget BEFORE hiring someone. Never agree to pay for a service and then not have the funds to pay. No dine and dash here. Definitely no bueno.
2. You have personal monies, but not business funds. I see and experience this a lot. You will spend frivolously on vacations, eating out, whatever, but won't pay your business contractor or workers properly or timely.
For the love of Pete, do not drone on about your travels and purchases. Loan money to your business and pay your contractors and workers!! They want to go on vacation, eat out and be able to pay their own bills too.
Contractors:
1. You get sooooo excited to be hired that you do not write up a proper contract nor do you get things in writing. You jump right in and begin the work without securing payment or deposit first, and then have to fight and scratch later to get the money out of the client.
Let's reverse this. Get a deposit first, if not full payment. AND secure a signed contract to CYA, all BEFORE you begin the work.
2. You see the red flags of how the hiring business owner operates (or doesn't operate) their business. Take heed - being organized, general business practices, timeliness, communication, etc are all extremely important. If you can't get the potential client to a meeting timely or constantly have to remind them of stuff, they are not for you.
Save your wits and be selective about the types of clients you take on. Money is green, but the aggravation factor is real. Not all clients are good clients, and not all are clients for you. Take the time to research, interview and vet the hiring business or owner to see if they are a good fit for your services.
3. This should go without saying, but I feel that I must.
Contractors, never claim to have an ability you do not have. Do not promise the client things you cannot do. Instead, be underestimated, and ALWAYS over deliver. 😏
Business reputation and etiquette. Policies and procedures. SOP. How do you hire or get hired? Develop criteria, intake forms, handbooks, or whatever's needed in your business's back end to iron out the wrinkles for your hiring and contracting.
It'll make you life easier. 🤷🏾♀️
*steps down off soapbox*
💙❤️💙
Lena S
HHIC
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