When you jump into the world of entrepreneurship, it can be overwhelming because you’re suddenly responsible for allll. the. things. 

Aside from the actual things you have to do to grow your business and build your brand – like building a website, creating a social media strategy (and then actually showing up on social media), crafting your offers, oh and then delivering on those offers – there’s also all of the “boring” things you probably never thought of before. 

Like taxes and bookkeeping… yep, no one is there to handle all of that stuff for you. It’s all on you. 

The list could go on for all the hats you wear as a small business owner, but instead of dumping all of that on you and possibly making you feel even MORE overwhelmed, I want to talk about the exciting part of this…

While I’ll of course admit that yes, in the beginning, when you’re responsible for all of these things AND you have little to no budget to invest in tools, tech, or a team to help you, it can feel like you’re drowning. 

Been there, done that. 

But here’s the good news… (because I’m all about finding the light in what feels like a very dark tunnel) ⬇️

It’s only a season. 

If you’re in the thick of that season right now, let me be the first to say that I KNOW it feels like you’ll never come out of it and it will feel this hard forever. 

But the truth is, as you continue to work and grow, you will find yourself in a new season where even more is required of you, BUT you have more options to help you streamline and systemize.

Here’s the problem though…

Oftentimes as business owners, we’re not the best at recognizing when we need help. And then, when we DO recognize we need it, we’re slow to act on it. 

Because after all – you’ve been grinding on your own for so long that it FEELS like you can handle and do it all. But when you fail to recognize when you need help and then fail to act on it, you can actually do your business and brand more harm than good.

So, to help you recognize WHEN it might be time to outsource – even if it simply means investing in a platform or resource to take some small tasks off your plate – I’ve rounded up the 4 main phases of business growth along with a list of the most common investments you might want to consider during each one!

Small Business Milestones and The Investments To Make As Your Brand Evolves

Generally speaking, every business goes through similar stages and phases. It’s important to understand these because it can save you from the comparison trap. 

For example, let’s say you’re a brand new business owner who’s just starting to market on Instagram. Naturally, you have few followers and your engagement rate likely isn’t as high as you want it to be. 

Like most of us do, you probably start to follow and watch a lot of business owners who are ahead of you. 

And then the comparison trap hits…

“Her content does so much better than mine.”

“Her services are constantly booked out.”

“I’m not sure if I’m cut out for this.”

“Does anyone even want what I’m offering?”

These are the questions that start to flood your head and when that happens it can feel extremely defeating. 

But that’s not what I’m about over here. 🙅🏼‍♀️

Because guess what? That business owner that seems to be killing it probably has a team (or at least some tools and resources) helping her a wholeeeee lot. 

But like you, that’s not where she started. Phase by phase she got to that point and YOU will too. 👏🏼

The 4 Phases of Business Growth

Startup Phase (~1-2 Years)

This is the phase that you’re likely all too familiar with. In fact, it might be the phase you’re in right now! And if so, that’s great – this is a SUPER important phase of business because it’s often the phase where you will gain the most clarity.

During this phase, you’re typically establishing your business, conducting market research, crafting your offers, and are really making your initial entry into the market. 

Most of the time business owners during this phase don’t have a ton of money to spend so they’re bootstrapping and doing whatever it takes to make their idea work.

This phase typically lasts 1-2 years, but at that one year mark, I want you to do something…

And that is CELEBRATE. 🎉

Everyone’s business journey looks different, but making it one whole year in business is a BIG deal and I don’t want you to overlook that. 

THEN, I want you to evaluate where you’re spending the majority of your time and think about if those things are where your time should truly be spent. 

If not, it’s time to get honest with yourself and decide where and how you’re going to start outsourcing or streamlining your systems.

That can look like hiring help (even if it’s just a contractor) or investing in various platforms to help you implement certain systems so you don’t have to do everything manually.

Common business investments to consider during the startup phase include:

• Canva Pro Account – Canva is truly like every business owner's best friend (no matter what you do!), and trust me when I say the pro account is SO worth it!
• FloDesk – my preferred email marketing platform! If you’re looking for an inexpensive AND aesthetic way to send your emails, FloDesk is the best option in my opinion. And that link will get you 50% for your first year, making it only $19/month.
• Dubsado (or similar client management system) – one of the best things I ever did for my business was to get my onboarding and offboarding systems in one place so everything was streamlined and organized and nothing had to be done manually!
• Calendly (or similar scheduler) – most client management systems like mentioned above have schedulers built into them, but if you’re hosting a lot of calls, it can be wise to invest in something like Calendly, so you can automate the process!
• Zoom – speaking of calls, you may find the free version of Zoom is no longer cutting it for you! An upgrade might be in store as your business grows.
• Social Media Scheduler – the theme of most of these recommendations is that you no longer have to do small, tedious tasks manually. Don’t underestimate the power of an automation tool! For social media specifically, I use and love Later! 
• DIY Website Builder – if you’re not yet ready to invest in website design, I suggest using a simple builder like Wix or Squarespace to create what I like to call your “phase 1” site. And if you aren’t sure what exactly your website should look like, CLICK HERE to download my free Website Content Planner!
• DIY Visual Brand – if you’re still in the DIY stage, I get it! This Mini Style Guide can help you build the basics until you’re ready to level up with help from a designer – I’ll be here when you’re ready 🙂
• Visual Brand Starter Package – ready to invest with a professional to get your brand identity looking like you’ve always dreamed?! This is a great place to start if you are a brand new business owner.

While that might look like an extensive list, all of these things are great options to start with when you’re investing so that you can enter your Growth Phase with peace of mind and full confidence that you’re on the right track.

Growth Phase (~2-5 Years)

After year 2, you’ll likely find that you’re feeling in a good groove with your business and you know exactly what you want your brand and business to achieve. 

You have clear goals, a strong mission, and you’ve typically found your footing in the marketplace. 

This is typically where you’ll be growing your audience the most, refining your offers (and possibly introducing new ones), and increasing your revenue. 💸

While phase 1 might feel like it’s the most challenging to get through, don’t be fooled – EVERY stage has its challenges!

For example, in phase 1 you were likely trying to figure out how to get clients. But now that you have them, you might be in the midst of making sure that your client management and client experience is top notch. 

It’s around this time that most business owners have acquired more of a budget to invest in various professional services and are ready to present themselves as more “legit” online. 

(Not to say you weren’t legit before – you TOTALLY are! But now it’s time for a level-up.)

Common business investments to consider during the growth phase:

• Professional Branding – your DIY'd Canva logo can get you pretty far, but most of the time people are ready for some professional branding backed by strategy at this point!
• Professional Website – same goes for your website! I truly believe there’s nothing wrong with a DIY’d starter site, but again, most people are ready for an upleveled site with SEO driven copy, storytelling, and well-organized service offerings at this stage of business.
• Virtual Assistant – you know how I mentioned that as an entrepreneur you wear a lot of hats? Well, at some point you have to hand some of those hats off. If that scares you (trust me, I can relate!), hiring a virtual assistant is a GREAT place to start! You can decide what and how much you want to hand off and scale those tasks as your business continues to grow.
• Various Service Providers – similar to hiring a virtual assistant, you may find that you’re ready to invest in a very specific service for your business. And the good news is there are a plethora of service providers to choose from for your needs! Common ones include copywriting, social media management, Pinterest management, bookkeeping services, etc.
• Business Coach – full transparency, I didn’t do this early enough and it was a HUGE missed opportunity for me. I waited until I was almost 14 years into business and if I would’ve invested in one sooner, it would’ve saved me SO much stress and heartache. Here’s the gal I recommend!

Expansion Phase (~5 years +)

Did you know that 45% of businesses fail within the first 5 years? There’s a variety of reasons why this happens, but many times it’s because growth happens TOO fast and they can’t keep up.

As an entrepreneur, it can be really easy to find yourself in a situation of “too much, too soon” and feel like you’re drowning. 

Which is the VERY reason that I preach investing in the right things at the right time!

During this phase, you’re typically focused on scaling, potentially entering new markets, and ultimately seeking sustained growth.

When you make it to the expansion phase and beyond, your investments become very specific to your needs and are often laser focused based on a certain goal you have in mind. 

For me, this looked like hiring a Systems Workflow Expert, which is SO needed if you’re in the service business with lots of steps in your processes. Here’s my go to girl for this in case you’re in need of something similar!

Additionally, this is when I started attending business conferences for my industry to expose myself to new networks and started working with a content manager and blog writer!

This phase will ultimately look different for everyone investment wise.

Maturity Phase (~10+ years)

Similar to the expansion phase, the maturity phase of a business is when you’ve finally established yourself in the marketplace and experiencing slower but stable growth.

It’s during this time when you’re consistently evaluating your current operations and systems and are working to continuously improve them.

This could involve switching platforms you use or adding new ones so everything keeps functioning well both internally and externally.

Additionally, at this point of business, you may explore new strategies and ways to stay relevant as new competition enters the market. In order to do so, you may consider hiring a business coach or consultant to help you navigate any desired changes.

Lastly, around this time, you may also find that you’re ready for a rebrand in order to stay fresh in the eyes of your audience!

Overall, these phases and timelines are approximate and can significantly vary based on industry trends, market conditions, and the specific trajectory of your business.

Some businesses might experience rapid growth in a shorter period, while others might progress more steadily through each phase.

Ultimately, investing and outsourcing can play a vital role at each stage by allowing you to focus on very specific areas while trusting that other tasks are handled!

The most important thing to keep in mind is that the phase of business you’re in should determine what you invest in and how you prioritize outsourcing.

Oftentimes we WANT certain things, when we really NEED something else, so my best advice is to be honest with yourself and fully consider what will impact your brand and business the most during this season!

And remember: don’t compare your season of business to someone else’s. Your time will come. Stay focused and keep doing the work that you set out to do. 👏🏼

P.S. When you’re ready for a Brand or Website Designer, I’d love to chat! Connect with me here and until then, know that I’m cheering you on!

Affiliate Disclaimer: Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links, which means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you and I only ever recommend products and services that I personally use and trust!

Your designer friend always,