Business owners can’t – and shouldn’t – do everything on their own. It’s important that you surround yourself with people that can help you in a variety of ways. Here are three people that every single business owner should strive to get in their lives:
A lawyer
Nobody intends to do anything bad or borderline illegal. Unfortunately, when running a business, you could run into all sorts of legal issues that you know nothing about. These could involve very technical legalities that you were unaware of, but there’s also the issue of clients or customers taking legal action against your business. They might feel aggrieved in some way, and they will often have the right to sue you for compensation. So, every single business owner needs to get their hands on a good white collar defense attorney to protect them in case these issues arise. Hopefully, you’ll never need to call your lawyer for anything. But, you need one just in case these things happen.
Similarly, having a general business attorney will also be beneficial to help with all the legal regulations surrounding your business.
A personal assistant
Every business owner should have a personal assistant that handles the day-to-day management of their schedule. You are an extremely busy person with a million and one things to do every day. As such, you don’t have the time to plan meetings, make calls, take calls, respond to all your emails, etc. Having a personal assistant means you’ve got someone that can handle all of the administrative things you don’t have time for. Thus, you are free to focus on what you do best, and what’s most important to your business.
Someone that’s not afraid to tell the truth
Do you know what a Yes Man is? Essentially, it’s a term given to the people around you that say yes to all of your ideas and everything you say. There’s a general stereotype that people like this are the ones desperate for your approval and keen to move up the ranks. They’re so desperate that they are too afraid to stand up and tell you how they really feel. Business owners should remove any Yes Men from their lives immediately, seeking the opposite instead.
You want someone in your life that’s not afraid to tell you when something is a bad idea. They will be truthful, and it helps to ground you. You will make better decisions when you open yourself up to criticism. Find people that aren’t worried about the consequences of disagreeing with you. Disagreement is healthy in business; it’s how you find the ultimate solution or idea. You don’t need this truthful person to be someone at work, it could be a family member or friend. The important thing is that they exist and will tell you exactly what they think.
Find these three people and bring them into your world. Lawyers are necessary for ensuring you don’t get sued and don’t accidentally break any business laws. Personal assistants let you manage your business rather than being swamped by admin. Lastly, a trustworthy confidant is crucial for keeping you grounded and helping you make better business decisions.
