Greenhouse Business Tips: When to Hire a Professional (And When to DIY)
Owning a business is no cheap endeavor. If you’re a small business owner, you know the personal sacrifice of time and money a business can take, especially when you’re caring for live plants.
North Carolina Farms has been in the industry as a family-owned business for almost 50 years now. One thing we have learned over the years is that there is a lot you can do on your own. But just because you can do it on your own, it doesn’t mean you always should. Every business is different, and every team has different capabilities, so this is not a strict list, just suggestions. Here’s our list of recommendations for when to do it yourself and when to hire a professional.
Hire a Professional to . . .
Do your taxes — Many forms are required for small businesses to file taxes, and the forms are all different depending on ownership. A professional can navigate all of this for you with ease. They will save you hours upon hours of frustration, and they can also end up saving you money in the long run! A tax professional will know the proper deductions for you to take to ensure the best tax result.
Complete auto and equipment maintenance — You may know how to fix issues that arise. And at times, you can find a YouTube video on how to fix a problem cheaper than a mechanic would. If you have the knowledge and the skills, we’re not knocking it. However, we recommend that you have a professional do the routine maintenance. It will not be your priority to change the oil regularly, especially in the middle of planting season. Dropping your vehicle off at the local shop will be well worth it in the long run.
Implement IT improvements — Again, if you have the knowledge and the skill, there is nothing wrong with performing your own IT needs. Platforms these days make it easy to create beautiful websites with little knowledge. But it takes time, and it can be frustrating when you can’t get something just right. We recommend hiring a professional for tech upgrades in your business and optimizing your website’s SEO.
Perform graphic design — Canva is an excellent FREE tool that anyone can use to create beautiful posts for your website, social media, emails, and even business cards! But if you’re doing something big like creating your brand or putting together a catalog, we recommend calling in a professional.
Execute Human Resource responsibilities — As the owner of the company, you cannot and should not be the human resources department. Human resources should be neutral between the company and its employees so they can pursue what is right.
Build greenhouses — We are all guilty of the thought that building a greenhouse with our crew is much cheaper than hiring it out. As a company that has put together many of its own greenhouses, we can tell you that maintenance is needed more quickly when experts are not involved in the process. Get it done, but get it done right.
(Side note: Just because someone is the lowest-priced candidate doesn’t mean you should hire them. Make sure you are hiring quality services, or you might end up wishing you had just done the task yourself!)
Some things in business require a hybrid approach where you still direct the vision — but with support from a professional in the area. We recommend consulting with a professional on . . .
Marketing and content creation — Unless you have someone on your team dedicated to and skilled in marketing and content creation, you will likely want to hire this out. An outside marketing professional will likely not know your product and will need your knowledge on what information to post and final approval on designs.
Business strategy — Every business should have a strategy, no matter how small or young. A company cannot move forward if it is not on a direct path. You need to answer the question of where you want your business to go. With that, you can be purposeful in every choice you make to get your company to where it needs to be. Consulting a professional can help you form a concise plan for your business.
Hiring — Clearly, you need to be involved in choosing your team members, but hiring a professional to build your job listing and vet applicants can be a huge time saver. Depending on the job, you can receive up to 20 applications daily. That’s 20 resumes to sort through each day. As a small business owner, you do not have that kind of time. Hire a professional to set up your listing and vet the applicants. They will provide you with a handful of qualified individuals without you having to sort through the pile.
There are some things in business you just need to do yourself. We personally recommend . . .
Attending tradeshows — Tradeshows are an excellent place to speak with potential vendors. You will see a sampling of their product and meet their sales team face to face. They will have the information you need about their company when considering doing business with them. You will also be able to price compare multiple vendors all in one place.
Being face to face with customers — Don’t leave it up to someone outside the company to communicate clearly and build relationships with your customers. This is your time to shine. Greet customers and share your knowledge with them. Build relationships so they will continue returning and bringing their friends and family with them.
Completing the tasks you are passionate about — You opened your business for a reason, and as long as that reason isn’t just to make money, that means there is something you are passionate about. Hire a professional to maintain whatever part of the business that “just has to get done” so you can have time to do the part you are the most passionate about. That is how you will remain happy with your business. And that is how you will succeed.
