I wanted to take a minute and update all the applicants that have sent in resumes. I can’t believe how many emails and resumes have poured in. I’m still working to read through each of them and then comes the insanely daunting task of choosing ONE. As of right now, I swear I already want to hire at least six of you! My current goal is to get things narrowed down to the three candidates that are most qualified to be everything that I am not with an email interview followed by a phone or skype interview.

I don’t really like putting posts out where you can’t be inspired so I’d like to leave a thought to everyone. When I hired my first assistant, the clouds literally felt like they lifted in my heart! I am trying to be a mom (and a great one at that), a wife (working for greatness there too), a successful (key word) business owner and an always evolving and learning photographer. There is and always will be a lot on my list – I need to edit, do shoots, be at PTA meetings, make dinner, give my family clean laundry, get to the toilet with a scrubby-wand, answer emails, send welcome packets off from the post office, set ordering appointments, do more laundry, play polly pockets with my girls and choo-choo trains with my boy, blog, blog and more blogging, return phone calls, kiss scraped knees, read princess books, package up orders…. And that’s only the immediate stuff, none of that is looking out and building up for the future (well, my family is).

But I hope you see what I mean. Each one of us is trying to be it all. And it takes a lot of work (see this old post) and it can involve a lot of tears. I know because I’ve shed them! I just want to suggest to you that you don’t have to overlook the idea of having your own assistant. When I hired my first assistant (for Leah Remillet Photography) I can’t explain what it did for my sanity! I didn’t hire her because economically I was thinking ‘oh I can do this’, I hired her because emotionally I was thinking ‘I have to give this to myself’. The weights and guilt I carried around for my family were lifted to such a great degree and I was able give more of myself where it really counted – at home! Of course with time things evolve. Kathy’s life took a dramatic change last November and with that she has gone from being all mine to making a full time business out of assisting so that she can be home to take care of her family and Go{4}Pro continues to grow and need more of me all the time. So it’s time for me to add my second assistant, but this one being dedicated to Go{4}Pro.

Take a look at your business. Is there something that you just can’t stand to do or that is the bulk of your time? Is it possible to outsource even a portion of it to give yourself more time to work on your business (as apposed to in) and to be a better friend and family member? Cause guess what, you’re worth it!