i think it was back in 2011 that i decided i needed to outsource my first set of tasks… mind you, i had no idea it was called ‘outsourcing’ — i just knew i needed help….

CPA | the first thing i ever outsourced in my business was my accounting and bookkeeping… i am NOT an accountant and i knew early on in my business that my mental sanity was worth more than spending a couple hundred dollars a month… my CPA handles all of my taxes, my monthly profit/loss statements, my sales tax and any forms that come in the mail… he also handles my payroll/direct deposit for my team… i literally would be LOST without him — i’ve been working with him for eight years now!!! this is one team member — i truly couldn’t function without…. if you’re looking for a CPA — let him know that I sent you!!!

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here is a list of other areas of my business i have outsourced — and never looked back…. every time i got the courage to outsource something in my business, my business grew — and i gained more margin to work on my business… instead of IN it!

ALBUM DESIGN | this was another task i began outsourcing early on in my business… as much as i actually like designing albums, i was never timely and it is a time suck in my business… align album design is my album design company — and i’ve been working with them for gosh… i don’t even know how long… seven years?!!?!? you can read more here about how align album design has changed EVERYTHING for my business as far as albums — hell… if I’m being honest.. they’re the reason that I even sell albums at all!!!! and if you’re interested in giving them a try for the first time, i’d love for you to do that through my referral link here!!!

VIRTUAL ASSISTANT | a couple years ago — i decided to give a virtual assistant a try…. i had the privilege of working with emily – owner of emily in love — who is truly just as sweet as pie… or sweet tea…. or tight hugs that make you feel loved!!! emily showed me what it looked like to have more margin in my business — she prepped my blogs, helped handle my social media accounts, and ran my pinterest account…. i also learned that i had a hard time delegating little tasks — or any tasks… i grew a lot while working with her!!! she recently launched an incredible site called outsourcing with love — it’s a directory to help connect service based business with ideal clients… this is SO perfect if you’re looking to find a virtual assistant or another creative to bring on to your team!!!

INTEGRATOR | y’all…. THIS — this was the important piece that i was missing in my business…. past bride — long time client and most importantly, dear friend… has… as of this year… come on to my team as my integrator… you may be asking yourself what’s the difference in an integrator and a virtual assistant… and my answer is – a whole heckofa lot!!! i can give jessica a project that i’d love to work on — and she will figure out how to make that happen from conception to delivery… she manages my projects and keeps me in line and on track…. she will absolutely give me the courage to grow my business — i won’t be spending time researching projects when i could be rolling out other things that propel my business forward… BUT those tasks are still getting done — that research is still happening… projects are still being managed while i’m tackling the current project!! i wish i had brought her on three years ago!!

GRAPHIC DESIGNER | i began by outsourcing my website designs many years ago — 7 or 8 I believe — but it wasn’t until last year when I began working with krista + davey that i really began seeing the full potential of having a graphic designer…. everything from small graphics – free downloads and PDFs all the way to keynote design…. i think i email krista every week with new project ideas — i used to spend SO MUCH TIME creating graphics and now i can devote those precious hours to growing my business instead.

STUDIO MANAGER | over the last 5-6 years i have dabbled with on and off again office managers — it was always a position i wanted filled… and this year… it’s finally happened… my associate photographer (and best friend – and sister in law) emily – is my studio manager… because i worked with my virtual assistant emily for almost two years and realized i needed to learn how to let go of time consuming tasks that didn’t HAVE to be completed by me…. i have set myself up for success with having emily as my studio manager now… she handles all things studio related — she preps my blogs, goes to the shipping store for me (damn i hate that place), handles timelines, an assortment of emails and messages… honestly – the system we have going now has given me breathing room both in life and business!

ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHER | speaking of associate photographers — if you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know how much my #sepgirls mean to me (AND MY CLIENTS) — together we have been able to serve and love on more ideal clients and leave more of an impact on others… way more than i could ever do on my own… i used to max myself out — i was burnt out… and when you’re THAT exhausted, your desire for impact is 100% affected… i have been able to follow my passion for coaching and teaching — and play a small role in incredible love stories — WHILE shooting less… we’re able to work with more ideal clients and say NO less to our peoples that we want to work with… that brings me so much joy — and i’m so grateful that we’ve been able to journey forward over the years serving and loving on more people than i ever could alone.