A solo consultant looking for help

[BillyL]

I'm a small-business consultant with about five companies which I support whose sizes range from one person to 25 people.  I do soup-to-nuts support: network install/maintenance, software & hardware support, purchasing, etc.  I am very busy but not all of the time.  My situation is that I CAN'T LEAVE TOWN!!! Since I am solo, it is very difficult to go away without being stressed out about catastrophies.  I am looking for advise about how I should go about finding help.  I figure my choices are to find a solo consultant who is in the same situation as myself or find a computer company that does support.  I just don't really know where to start looking or how to screen candidates.  Any Web sites that may offer me ideas?

 

[Dumboy]

I'm running a Web and Graphics design company and I'm kind of going thru what you are talking about... the way I solved this issue which by the way.. has very little to do with hiring and finding help and alot more with handling stress was by first aknowledging a few points<br>you are probably not very good at delegating (you are going to have to learn if you want to grow)<br>Relax and schedule time for yourself (don't take the fun out of your life)<br><br>the last and harder TRUST people.. if you have enough work hire somebody that you feel comfortable with. there are lot's of places but the best is check around if there are more consultants like you consider a partnership.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you don't have enough work for a full time person then NETWORK... hire another consultant for a flat rate per project.<br><br>The way I handled the fact that it is very difficult for me to let other people do is get involved, set up the deal make clear what your expectations and time frame are and then just check often in the project. that will free you up to keep prospecting customers and start learning to be more of a supervisor and less a producer.<br><br>I'm not going to be giving you urls to look for help.. there are plenty.. one thing that I do recommend is that you look for mentoring, retired people with lots of experiencie in the business world that are willing to save you years of learning by sharing their own experiencies and views go to <A HREF="

http://www.score.org/"

TARGET="_new">

http://www.score.org/</A>

orjust check the phone book for your local chapter.... good luck! <p>Dumboy.! Ouch.! .my brain.....<br><a href=mailto:spiderdesign@yahoo.com>spiderdesign@yahoo.com</a><br><a href= > </a><br>It's hard to think with only one neuron......Ouch.....!....it hurts when I think......!

 

[tonykerr]

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If you want to grow, you will need a secretary.<br><br>(how is that for 10 words or less