Some of the biggest event planning companies in New York City (or anywhere) started as small solopreneur event businesses. And that should give you hope and inspiration as an event planning solopreneur yourself. But to get big, you need to know when it’s time to stop trying to do everything all by yourself. And these indicators suggest it’s time to hire some additional staff or event planning support, especially if you intend on growing your business.
1. You’re Overwhelmed Every Day
Conduct a pulse check on your hectic schedule, your day, and your overall week. It’s not uncommon to experience ebbs and flows of busy work and overwhelming to-do lists. However, if those moments of anxiety and overwhelming experiences are more frequent or every day, it’s time to make a change. Consider hiring administrative or support staff to offload some of your task-management duties. Or, bring in another event planning professional to help manage your event load.
2. Your Customer Service Is Slipping
When you first started as a solopreneur event planner, you were dedicated to customer service. Your client communication was on point, and maybe you even took the time to send hand-written thank you notes. But as you get busy, some of the first things to go are those customer service extras you used to do. And if left unaddressed, your customer service could begin to suffer. Don’t let your customer care efforts dissipate, and hire some help so you always have time to do those little things that make a big difference with your event clients.
3. You’re Hesitating to Take on New Business
They’re called growing pains for a reason. And if your small event planning business is struggling to take on new business, just because you’re concerned about a shortage of time to properly deliver, it’s a good sign you’re growing. But it’s also a sign that it’s time to maybe hire additional support staff. You know your workload better than anyone. But don’t get in the habit of turning down new event clients, halting your business growth. Hire some help and bring in the resources you need to keep growing.
4. You’re High Value Doing Low Value More Often
Sit down to really analyze how you spend your time. You’re a professional New York event planner, and your highest value is in curating brilliant events. However, if you find yourself spending more time doing those low-value tasks, you’re doing your business a disservice. Bring in new employees who can help relieve you of those email campaigns, administrative work, and scheduling. And get back to doing what you do best - event planning.
5. You Need Niche Skills
Another reason to consider hiring others to join your solopreneur event planning business is niche skills. Maybe you want to bring in someone who’s skilled in hybrid events or virtual events to help take your in-person events online. Or it could be that your focus is social events, but you want to expand your business to include planning corporate events, warranting another pro on your team who specializes in business events. Consider which direction your business needs to grow and hire pros who can bring skills that complement your own skill sets.
If any of these scenarios resonate with your solopreneur event planning business, keep growing and consider hiring help! They're signs your business is in growth mode, and you'll want to take the necessary steps to facilitate that growth. And speaking of growth, make sure you have your All Access tickets to the one NYC conference that leads to monumental growth - The Event Planner Expo 2023!
