Every entrepreneur dreams of watching their business move from a small startup to a thriving enterprise. Not only is it amazing to see your vision come to life, change the market, and provide dozens (or hundreds) of jobs, but success as a business owner means earning wealth and recognition in your field.
What people don’t tell you about growing a business, though, is that the path to the top is filled with detours, diversions, and roadblocks. That’s true for any part of your enterprise, but especially technology – an area of business many entrepreneurs struggle with in the first place.
To help make your journey to expansion as smooth as possible, in today’s post we want to show you five challenges that inevitably creep up as your team grows and your bottom line gets bigger. Here are a handful of issues you should look out for, and how to keep them from holding your business back.
#1 Scaling Up Without Massively Increasing Costs
If you aren’t careful, doubling the size of your money can mean tripling or even quadrupling your IT costs – that’s particularly true if you outgrow your existing network setup, software licenses, etc. The best way to avoid this issue is by following a written expansion plan. Don’t worry, a good IT provider can help you create one that isn’t overly complicated or technical.
#2 Getting Affordable IT Expertise
The bigger your company gets, the more need you have for people who know certain types of industry software, contact management tools, or enterprise-level device configurations. You could hire in-house for these specialties, but you’ll save a lot of money by working with an outsourced IT firm who can provide the required knowledge and experience for a low monthly rate.
#3 Managing the Logistics of New Location Setup
Every time you open up a new office, branch, or retail location, you’re going to have to install a new set of computers and devices. Get that wrong and your expansion could grind to a halt. Want to avoid these headaches? Work with a technology team that’s big enough to scale with you. Then, when you need to add something new, like an employee or an office building, they can help you hit the ground running.
#4 Onboarding New Team Members
Speaking of new employees, some won’t come into your company with an existing base of knowledge about the computers, devices, and software systems you use. Most certainly won’t be aware of your policies around passwords or social media. You can make onboarding easier with in-person training, online videos, and a series of knowledge tests. Each of these helps you ensure that every new team member is set up to help you keep growing (and just as importantly, avoid major mistakes).
#5 Balancing Risks and Opportunities
This is more strategic than tactical, but it’s important to take advantage of growth opportunities without overextending yourself. A good IT partner can serve as a virtual CIO when you need one, assisting you with budgets and strategic plans that makes sense in the context of your goals. It’s not about business or technology, but putting both together in a way that makes sense.
Looking to Make the Jump to Better IT Care?
At Fantastic IT, we started with a small team and worked our way up the Forbes list of fastest-growing firms in America. We know exactly what it takes to help support entrepreneurs at every stage of their growth journey.
Contact us today to get a free consultation from our team and see how we can help take your company to the next level!