DELEGATING OUT FOR GROWTH
Our patternmaker Jenna is a reason for our success.
REMEMBERING THAT A GOOD HIRE IS KEY.
When I started Elegantees from my parent's basement, I wanted to have new arrivals every two months. Even with an 80-hour work week, I couldn't pull that off. I spent a whole month on design and sewing samples, another on being at the factory, and another month on photography and getting the launch ready. Oh yeah, the sales and full-time marketing part too.
My first hire was my mom. Then, I met Jenna. She's a technical designer who emailed me six years ago proposing that she do our patterns. Making patterns was something I liked doing, but giving ownership of this to Jenna was one of the best decisions I made. After her first year, our sales tripled over the previous year! Instead of making patterns, I poured time into more frequent design offerings and daily marketing efforts.
ADDING ANOTHER JENNA!?
There's someone right now who has the potential to become another Jenna. Except for taking over patterns, she'd take over the the content creation and keeping the homepage fresh. Improved visual content may take us to the next tier of growth. What's the obstacle then? My budget is less than half of what she ought to earn, so part-time is the only starting place. All we know right now is we're eager to do this.
Within a week, we'll be able to confirm the capacity that this creative woman can give us. If it's as much as 20 hours per week, I believe she'd create the same effect for us that Jenna did in 2017. I heard that you're only as good as the people who work for you. I see how true this is.
I could keep doing what I'm doing to maintain a medium-size business. Or, I can delegate out and see the sewing center in Nepal packed to max capacity. Pray with me that God will provide this week.
NEPAL UPDATE
Our BOGO event has been a huge success so far. It's generated five weeks worth of work in Nepal! I've also received a special invitation to attend the wedding of a dear friend and leader in Nepal. I'm hoping we'll be able to because I could also visit the sewing center. Now I'm teary-eyed imagining me in the expanded facility.
