Why entrepreneurs need bosses too!

Entrepreneurship is a wild ride, filled with ups and downs, triumphs and trials. This can be a big change if you’re making the jump from a 9-5! There, your tasks are often laid out by someone else, but here, being your own boss means you’re responsible for every decision, big and small. 

This can be exhilarating but also exhausting, especially when you’re trying to juggle everything from sales to customer service to marketing and more. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by this chaos, you're not alone—and perhaps it's time to consider that even entrepreneurs need bosses.

I know you might be thinking, “C’mon, Mashon! I left working for someone else because I didn’t want a boss!” But hear me out …

The struggle of self-management

Transitioning from an employee to an entrepreneur is no small feat. As an employee, you likely had a clear set of responsibilities and a manager to guide your priorities. Suddenly, as an entrepreneur, all that structure is gone. 

You’re now in charge of managing not just your business but also yourself, and that’s a tough job for anyone.

Many entrepreneurs express feeling inadequate at time management. If you’re sick and tired of feeling like you’re terrible at this, I’m here to tell you that perhaps you shouldn’t be managing your time at all. 

Yes, you heard that right. 

Your job shouldn’t be to manage time, but to use it wisely on tasks that matter most—like thinking big and innovating.

The creative conundrum

For visionary entrepreneurs, especially those with ADHD, the need to create and explore is fundamental. You thrive on innovation and big ideas. 

However, this need for creativity is often at odds with the structured, logical demands of daily business operations. 

The more time you spend on routine administrative tasks, the less you have for deep, creative work—the kind that can truly propel your business forward.

It's like being a painter who spends all their time mixing paints and cleaning brushes but never actually painting. 🎨 🧑‍🎨

To truly excel and grow your business, you need the space and freedom to focus on what you do best, leaving the routine to someone else.

Delegating to thrive

This is where learning to delegate effectively becomes crucial. 

I often teach my clients how to not only delegate tasks that do not fit on their “must do” list, but to also empower someone on their team to take the reins. 

This role, often filled by an integrator or operations manager, is essential. They become your “boss,” dealing with time management and organizing your schedule so that they get what they need from you on the operations side… but also so that you can focus on the broader vision and have plenty of creative time.

The ideal second-in-command

So, what does this look like in practice? Your second-in-command, whether an integrator or ops manager, will have an in-depth understanding of your business’s goals and priorities. They'll know how much time you should be dedicating to different tasks and will help prioritize what needs to be done first, second, third, and so on.

Imagine this: You arrive at your workspace, whether it’s a home office or a coffee shop, and instead of starting your day wondering what to tackle first, you have a clear agenda set out for you. 

Your ops manager has organized your tasks in such a way that you can dive straight into meaningful work without the overhead of planning and prioritizing.

Every day you show up and know that you are moving your business forward. You aren’t wasting any time. You’re no longer managing your time. And you’ve lost the mental stress of always feeling terrible because you know you aren’t doing a good job of managing your time.

Practical steps to finding your "boss"

Finding the right person to manage your time and tasks might sound daunting, but it’s entirely achievable. Here’s how you can start:

1. Assess Current Resources: Look within your existing team. Is there someone who understands your vision and has the capability to step up? They might already be showing signs of leadership and organizational skills.

2. Hiring Externally: If there’s no suitable candidate internally, consider hiring. This doesn’t necessarily mean a full-time employee; it could be a part-time role or even a freelance ops manager.

3. Define the Role Clearly: Whether hiring internally or externally, define what this role will entail. Make sure they understand their responsibilities and how they can help you and the business succeed.

Working with a consultant

Sometimes, the best starting point is to engage with a consultant who can objectively assess your needs and help set up the right systems. 

That’s where I come in. 

With just one day in a deep dive session, we can evaluate your current workflow, identify key areas for improvement, and develop a tailored plan that fits your unique business needs.

During our session, we can also determine if there’s a potential candidate within your existing team to fill this pivotal role. If not, I can assist in creating a comprehensive plan to hire and train someone suitable, and manage you temporarily until we find the right person.

Entrepreneurship doesn’t have to be a lonely or chaotic journey. By acknowledging the need for support and delegating appropriately, you can free yourself to focus on the creative and strategic aspects of your business that initially drove you to start your venture.

Book your free 30-minute call with me!