By Henry Brown

There are many small businesses that have growth in mind from the day they open their doors. Many others, however, relish the ability to start out small and stay small. They love working with a smaller and more intimate team of people who they know and trust. They love having familiar roster of customers with whom they have a great relationship. They thrive on doing what they do better than anyone else rather than feeling the need to be able to do everything. Nonetheless, there may come a point where success makes growth a necessity. At the very least, a small business may need to add a new team member to its roster. And this is a decision that no small business takes lightly.

As confident as you may be in your application process, your understanding of what you’re looking for in a candidate and how easily you can verify credentials of the applicant, it’s understandable that you may be reticent when it comes to adding a member to your team. However, while you may be loath to step out of your comfort zone and invite someone new into your team, there are some signs that it may be unavoidable. After all, you can’t do it all alone! Here are three signs that your business could be compromised if you don’t expand your team…

You’re having to turn down too many sales

You won’t compromise on quality, which is why you’re sure not to over-exert yourself. However, you can’t help but notice that as time goes by, you’re turning down more and more sales. Worst of all, you’re finding yourself having to disappoint loyal repeat customers. Needless to say, failing to accommodate your customers’ needs is the first step to losing them… even if they’ve been loyal to you for years.

You’re getting negative reviews

An increase in demand can be a wonderful thing… but it doesn’t take long to reach the point where your business is floundering in an effort to keep up. But this can reach the point where more and more negative reviews start piling up on Google and Yelp and people start saying less than flattering things about you on social platforms.

While these can be smoothed over when you know the right way to react, social proof is extremely important to the reputation and integrity of your business. If you’re constantly putting out fires online, it’s time to admit you need a helping hand.

You’re slowly but surely starting to hate your job

And finally, entrepreneurship is supposed to be about escaping the confines and constrictions of a job that was making you miserable. If turning up for a day’s work in your own business fills you with the same dread that you faced in your old job, something needs to change. The same goes if you can’t remember the last time you took a vacation or spent a long weekend with your family.

If you can’t find time for yourself, you may quickly find yourself burning out.

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Henry Brown is an online marketing executive. When he isn’t talking shop, he’s roaming the streets of London, uncovering the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.