How do I know it’s the right time to hire someone?

I have been running my own small business from home for nearly a year. It is time to take the plunge and move to an office and hire my first employee. How do I know the timing is right and take the plunge? I keep putting it off through sheer nerves even though everything is pointing in that direction.

Sometimes in business, a decision glaringly obvious.

It hits you like a bolt out of the blue that this is what you should do… And NOW. And you wonder why you were ever uncertain.

But most of the time there is no bolt, no blue and no certainty that the timing is right. You have to weigh up all the facts and then take a leap.

If a business is a year old then a lot of the hard work has been done. You know your costs, your competitors, your cashflow, you have your pricing under control, you have customers, market validation, testimonials and so on.

You are a lot further on than you think. And when you are a larger business and making really big decisions you will look back at this and chuckle.

Taking out a lease on an office? Phaw. Hiring an employee? Piece of cake.

But what can you tell yourself now that will propel you off the cliff into that next stage?

Try this:

1. Failure is not an option.
2. How will you feel if you don’t do it?
3. What is the worst thing that can happen?
4. How good will you feel creating your first job and walking into your office every day?
5. Why not.

One more thing. Statistically you have a better chance of success by making this next move than staying at home with no employees.

ABS figures show that businesses with one or two staff are highly likely to be around in five years’ time than businesses with no employees.

So off you go. Take the leap and enjoy!