Isn’t it too bad we can’t clone ourselves? If I could have a replica of me I could take on twice as many clients and get out of this dreary business trap I’ve set for myself. This scenario is all too common for creative types who attempt to make a living doing what they love. I am referring to the problem that when you are the only person running your business it doesn’t take long to be totally maxed out.
This is where I find myself these days. A dead end road and I AM EXHAUSTED. With the kiddos home for the summer I can only work 3-4 hours a day. So it’s not that I’m bringing in a ton of business, but it doesn’t take much to book myself solid for the next 6 months. While it’s nice to be so busy,I am stuck. My business cannot grow any further until something changes. So, what is the best way to grow this kind of business? The only solution I can see is to either 1. raise my prices or 2. hire help. The thought of hiring people is really scary to me. I would have to train them and do quality control. I would have to teach them my editing style and they would have to emulate it until they get comfortable enough to use their own creativity. Doing this would be a massive pay cut for me and still sounds like an awful lot of work when all I really want to do is write my novel.
Option 1 is the one I have chosen in the past. I can do it a few more times, but soon I will be at the point of being totally maxed and the market won’t allow additional price raises.
I realize the folly of my current business model. Even in the Renaissance times the painters had their apprentice do parts of the paintings. To try to do it all is just stupid and only leads to burn out. I still like the cloning idea. Maybe in a few more years that will be an option.