When you hate a job or task, choosing to outsource is easy. You may resist outsourcing at times because you feel like it’s something you should do or because the price seems high. But if you have disposable income I bet you currently outsource more than you realize. What can you think of, right now? The car wash, the cleaners, perhaps housekeeping or yard work? What about tax preparation, do you do that yourself? Dog walking, child care… what about groceries, are they delivered to your door? I bet many other things are. Amazon built a business on saving you trips to CVS, Walgreens, or any number of now-defunct department stores.
We’re pretty used to it, and generally we’re quite OK with it, so long as it’s stuff we don’t want to do. I’m told that some people actually like to change the oil in their car. Or paint their own walls. I’m not saying I understand it, but I’m told such people exist.
If you’re more like the rest of us you readily outsource a variety of things. But some choices are more difficult than others.
Reluctances
It’s tougher emotionally to choose to outsource something you would enjoy doing yourself. I encountered this regularly as an executive in Silicon Valley, where my team would resist getting help because they could do the work themselves, and wanted to do it. I rarely disagreed about their capabilities. But often they were already maxed out, working 80 hours per week or more. We’d already dropped all the non-essential tasks and meetings (these were lean startups without pointy-haired bosses or endless PowerPoints).
In this situation eventually something has to give. You can leave some things undone, or you can get help. Generally people understand and relent, once they think it through. Outsourcing is not a dirty word in this context.
The choices are more insidious for a solopreneur. The “must-do” list is not always so well-defined. The idea of saving money by doing things yourself makes a lot of sense on the surface. But if it stops you from doing the Big, Important Things that will really make you stand out, get more business, or grow your core skills, then you can be engaging in a false savings. As solopreneurs we can’t always appreciate the opportunity cost of doing evertyhing ourselves. We don’t necessarily have competitive benchmarks and KPI’s; we’re blazing our own trails. We may not realize what we’re missing by saving money here, but avoiding the Big Things over there.
Don’t get me wrong, being a generalist has tremendous value, and I’ll write about that down the road. But there are times when getting help is advisable. I’d mentioned my own prioritization challenges for 2024, and how I might outsource some things to extend my capacity. Now I’ll share something that is already outsourced.
But it’s so much fun, how could I outsource THAT?!?!?!
Wouldn’t it be great to have a drone? Even if you aren’t a photographer. I mean, a high-performing drone with a great camera, who wouldn’t want to play with one of those? Especially if you could afford to buy the thing, and have somebody train you. It sounds amazing!!!
And personally, I could justify it as investing in another branch of my photography business. I could argue that it fits a business model, and I could earn back the money I spent on the drone. I could, although regardless of whether it made sense in this instance, that line of thinking is a trap! See #10 from Tim Ferriss’ blog, “17 Questions That Changed My Life”.
Even before reexamining my 2024 objectives I realized that it would take time to learn how to operate a drone effectively. I wanted to keep investing in my primary areas of photography. So instead of using cash and time on a drone and training, I searched for vendors, got bids, and hired a person. In the end, guiding Danny was actually joyful and enlightening. I learned some things even though he was the one piloting and shooting.
The task was to create scene-setting shots for that Goose Creek wildlife book that I plan to make (possibly this year if I outsource enough of the project). I’m sure I would have enjoyed doing it myself once I’d spent and learned enough, but I had other work to complete simultaneously.
And yes, there’s a price to outsourcing as well. I paid a fair rate to a skilled individual for the work. But I felt the task was important to complete, rather than, for example, scaling back the book project. So as much fun as it would have been, I paid for and got the shots I want for the book.
As I mentioned, the book isn’t made yet. I need to create and market it, and get printed copies into the hands of the right people to sell it successfully.
That’s where the next outsourcing might happen. I absolutely love making books. I have three of them selling currently and others that I’ve made just for me. But I don’t need to make the next one myself. There are talented people who would happily take my material, learn my style, and make a book for me. If I’m going to continue my other projects at the planned pace, I’ll need help. Or else, as in my startup experience, something will have to give. Outsourcing may help me “have it all.”
You might be different, but I need to remind myself, no regrets!
There are so many parts of photography that I love; it’s not as if I’m truly missing out when I get help. I’m not missing out at all; I’m just trading one activity for another. I’m still working my craft as much as I can, every week.
As long as we’re working steadily without giving up all the “good stuff” then yes, it makes complete sense to outsource. Early and often.
We just have to remember how much more is possible when we complete our personal work AND get contributions from others.
Until next time,
Limited Edition Prints for Sale
Another channel of my photography. Oof. But as promised, I’ve got this new set of Limited Edition prints available for purchase. Any unsold African wildlife images from last fall, as promised, have been retired from circulation.
Each edition consists of ten Numbered Prints and two Artists Prints, 16x24” silver halide, with certificate of authentication. As before, these are limited both by number and duration of the offer. If you’d like one or more for that special person, don’t hesitate. You wouldn't want to become he who is lost!
Is there something here you like or dislike? Questions? Have anything else to say? Let us all know by clicking on the Comments button below, and express yourself. Don’t be shy, now.
If you like this post you’re bound to like the next one as well. I’m sending them weekly. Quit any time, or better yet, stay and read on!
Know anybody who should hear about all this? Be a friend and let them know!
Or, are you interested in seeing more work? My website welcomes you. We may even want to work together. I promise a joyous and productive experience if we do. www.dobkinphoto.com