Some event planning professionals start their entrepreneurial journey as solopreneurs. You might be on such a journey now, taking on all the business responsibilities of landing new clients, marketing, event planning, and operations. And while you might be able to sustain that pace of work in the beginning, there will come a point when you need to start hiring staff and additional event planning professionals into your business. See if you are experiencing any of these signs. They are signs that your event planning business is growing and time to start hiring in additional help.
1. Your Customer Service Isn’t Exceptional Anymore
When you first started planning events, you were on top of every detail. You were providing outstanding deliverables every time and you considered your customer service as an exceptional aspect of working with you. But slowly, as you bring on more clients, some of those aspects start to slip. With several events on your schedule and more than a handful of demanding clients, it’s easier to overlook things, miss details, and forget steps. If you’re feeling like your customer service isn’t to the level it once was, it’s a sign you’re ready to hire some help.
2. You’re Contemplating or Point-Blank Turning Down New Business
Here’s a big one. If you’re turning down new event planning business, just because you’re too busy, it’s time to bring in another professional to your company. Landing too many clients is a good problem to have. But you can’t grow or leverage the opportunities if you don’t have enough hands to help. Recognize, too, that even if you haven’t expressly turned down new event clients, but have to really think about it and operational scrub your schedule to see if you can make it work, you’re about to reach that point of needing help.
3. Your Work-Life Balance Is Out of Whack
As a solopreneur event planner, you have many hats to wear to keep your brand operational and growing. One day you’re a business manager, keeping the books and overseeing expenses and revenue. Another day, you’re a marketer, developing marketing strategies, launching new campaigns, and advertising your business. And those other days in between, you’re in full-blown event planning mode, chasing down vendors, sending out invites, and checking in with your clients. All those tasks can take a toll on you mentally and physically. Be mindful to check your work-life balance. If you’re not eating right, are losing sleep, or are feeling extra cranky, it’s time to bring in some event planning help.
4. You’re Exploring New Event Industry Niches
Even when everything is going right and you feel you’re on top of your game by yourself, you might still need to hire an extra pair of event planning hands. If you’re exploring or considering new event niches or new kinds of events, set yourself up for success and bring in another event planner to help you facilitate that growth. Don’t shortchange yourself or your business potential by trying to grow into new segments without first being prepared to handle and deliver top-notch experiences.
Are you feeling the pressure of being an event planner solopreneur? Or even with your small team of professionals, do you experience any of these signs? Recognize when your event planning business is in growth-mode and take the steps you need to for onboarding new talent and event planning help!
For more event planning business growth insights, make sure you get in the room with the industry’s top leaders at The Event Planner Expo 2023! Now’s your chance to get on the waitlist!
