As a business owner, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you need to be great at everything —marketing, sales, operations, finance, leadership, the list goes on. The pressure to juggle it all in a growing business can be overwhelming, leading to burnout, frustration and results that don’t meet expectations. But the truth is, success doesn’t come from mastering every skill; it comes from identifying what you’re both great at and enjoy, then making this your focus.
Entrepreneurs have incredible energy and vision, but can they do it all?
Many entrepreneurs start out believing they can do it all, that they can wear every hat in their business. While this usually necessary in the early stages, trying to maintain this approach long-term leads to mediocrity rather than excellence.
The vital ingredient is the ability to recognise your strengths
If you’re a business owner, instead of spreading yourself thin, imagine the impact of focusing your energy on what you do best and building a team and systems to handle the rest.
So how do you figure out what to focus on? Start by paying attention to what comes naturally to you, what you are genuinely great at. Ask yourself:
- What tasks feel effortless and energising?
- Where do others consistently seek your expertise?
- What skills have contributed the most to your past successes?
By honing in on these strengths, you can create a business structure that aligns with your natural abilities rather than forcing yourself to fit into roles that drain you and stifle business growth.
Why Focus Creates Growth
When you concentrate on what you’re truly good at, you not only perform at a higher level but also bring more value to your business. Look at some of the most successful entrepreneurs — many of them built their success by leaning into their natural talents. They didn’t try to do everything; they focused on what they did best and surrounded themselves with talented people to handle the rest.
Delegating & Outsourcing: Vital skills to fill the Gaps
One of the biggest shifts in mindset for you as a business owner is realising that delegation isn’t a weakness — it’s an important strategy and strength. Instead of struggling through areas where you lack expertise, consider outsourcing or hiring talent that complement your skill set. Whether it’s bringing on a financial expert, a marketing specialist, or a strong operations manager, filling these gaps allows you to focus on leading and growing your business. Consider utilising external specialists initially to help build the business. You can then consider employing these skills full time when the business is at a suitable size to support them.
The Biggest Challenge for Business Owners
The skills that take a business from startup to a million dollar business are different from those that take it to a multimillion dollar business and different again to take it to a billion dollar business. Each step requires different skills, focus and experience. The greatest challenge facing business owners in a growing business is realising and accepting that they may not be the right person to continue to lead the business – ouch!
It’s your baby, you’ve put your heart and soul into building a great business. However, there comes a time when reality hits and maybe you and the business are best served by bringing in a CEO or Business Manager that has the skills and experience to take it to the next level. You’ll no doubt learn a lot more from them too.
Taking Action: Leaning Into Your Strengths
If you’re ready to shift your approach, start small:
- Identify the top three things you do exceptionally well
- Make a list of tasks you dislike or struggle with—these are the first to delegate
- Begin outsourcing and automating aspects of your business that take you away from your strengths
- Set a long-term goal to reshape your role so that 80% of your time is spent on what you excel at
- Set your strategy to review who is appropriate to lead the business in the future, what skills should they have and at what point in its growth will it be triggered
Set your business up to thrive
You don’t have to be great at everything to build a thriving business. By focusing on what you’re naturally suited for and surrounding yourself with the right support, you’ll create a business that feels aligned, sustainable, and ultimately more successful and enjoyable. Instead of spreading yourself thin, double down on what makes you exceptional, bring in people with great skills around you — and watch your business flourish.