business-plan, project-managementI have started my own venture approx 10 months ago. In the past 10 months I have hired 2 junior developers who are progressing well, finishing projects instead of me… but it all took its toll: I am tired, overburden with work, feel lost and after working full week feel like I not finishing anything.
Being a senior developer in the office, it means that I have to advise juniors, help them, but also work over the weekend to fix the problem they could not solve themselves. Besides doing this roll, I also manage the company, do finances, do errands, find clients and negotiate work, do project management, do interviews to find good senior (have not found him yet), research technology to improve the business, research what is the best office equipment for our office,… and yet have to be a family man with a bunch of children and wife.
I know that the main issue comes from the fact that I am unable to find good senior to join our office. I know that he would cover a great amount of work. However, seniors are simply not so ready to join new companies when they have steady job. Also I still cannot afford to offer them 50% more money to come to my office.
I thought about hiring project manager or maybe office assistant, but I would still have to instruct and monitor them. Being a startup means that my connections with my clients are still being inspected by the clients and I cannot risk any mistake that could lead to losing any client.
So at the end of a week, I see dozen of new tasks for the next week and I feel like I have not finished anything in the past week. Also any new man I plan to hire brings new costs to the company.
So right now, I am waiting for my juniors to become more experienced and start earning more money to the company (by finishing more projects faster), but the company is eating me slowly.
Did others feel the same? Am I doing some mistakes I am not aware of? Anyone can see how I can release a bit of my burden before my juniors become seniors and without bringing my company to red?
PS. we have much and more than enough work, but juniors cannot complete queued projects as quickly as a senior could. also having too much jobs in the company, I am unable to spend quality time finding larger clients but have to handle dozen small clients.
I think there are 2 things you can do right now.
1) TRUST PEOPLE or you are going crazy one day. Hire PM who will take main tasks from you. I know, it costs money, but what do you value more - money in company or your health and family time? Sorry for being honest, but it seems you have much to learn about trusting people so as they learn how to do things like pro, you will learn how to trust them.
2) Create work diary and write all these very minor things. Just keep it open all the time and everytime you do something, just type it down, even if it is going to be 2-3 words. If you think it is a waste of time, because you can do much more in this time, then you are wrong. It takes no more than 15-20 minutes in total each day and you will feel a lot more productive as well as relieved - you will see every day/week/month what you did. It is good for keeping up the pace of the work. Finally, you will work faster and better - time invested in this will be returned.
If these answers are too obvious for you, then I am sorry. I had myself to learn them hard-way so these two are the ones that came to my mind right away.
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