Your business is thriving. Clients are coming in. Your workload is growing and everything you’ve worked for is paying off.
It’s an incredible feeling.
But what isn’t incredible is realising you can’t do it all by yourself anymore. There’s only so much time in the day and as your business grows, the demands on your time can overwhelm you.
When this happens, many solopreneurs consider switching from freelance to an agency model because it allows them to:
Bring in other freelancers to handle increasing demand
Delegate tasks so they’re not doing everything themselves
Free up time to focus on high-value work and business growth
It sounds simple, but things don’t always work out how you think they will.
Why starting an agency and outsourcing is hard
If you want to build a successful agency, you have to spend a lot of time choosing your freelancers. It’s time-consuming, and often you realise that nobody does the work quite as well as you.
So, what do you do?
You stop outsourcing and go back to doing everything yourself.
Sound familiar?
You’re not alone.
It’s not that outsourcing doesn’t work. It’s more that you haven’t found a way to make the transition from freelancer to agency work for you.
Many founders struggle with outsourcing because:
They expect perfection: Nobody will deliver work exactly the way you would.
They don’t have systems in place: Without clear processes, even the most talented person you bring into your agency will struggle to meet your standards.
They try to do too much too fast: Handing over large tasks without a gradual transition can lead to errors and wasted time.
But if you approach it with the right mindset, systems and strategies, it can work.
How to create a successful agency model
Outsourcing work to anyone, even if they have an exceptional portfolio of work, is doomed to fail if you don’t put these five steps in place first:
Stop expecting others to be clones of you
One of the biggest mistakes people make is expecting someone to replicate their exact skills, style and thought process.
No one will ever do things exactly like you do and that’s okay.
The key to successful outsourcing is focusing on tasks where “good enough” is good enough.
For example:
Admin tasks like invoicing, scheduling or research don’t require your unique expertise
Formatting or editing can be outsourced to someone who follows your instructions
How to get started:
Start small: Outsource repetitive, easy tasks before moving on to more complex work.
Let go of perfection: Remember, some tasks don’t need your personal touch to be good enough.
Spend more time onboarding your freelancers
Even the best freelancer can’t deliver what you need without clear guidance. If you’ve ever handed off a task and been disappointed with the results, it’s worth asking yourself:
“Did I give them all the information and tools they needed to do the job well?”
If not, it’s not surprising they haven’t lived up to your expectations.
How to make sure they have everything they need:
Create templates and guidelines: Share examples of “what good looks like to me” so they understand your expectations (I can't emphasise this one enough).
Explain your process: Walk them through your approach and why it works.
Give them constructive feedback: Be specific about what you like and what still needs working on.
Onboarding isn’t just about assigning tasks, it’s about giving your freelancer everything they need to do the job right.
Make your freelancers feel part of your team
Freelancers you outsource to aren’t just contractors, they’re collaborators and human beings.
Think about it like this: if someone else was pivoting from freelancer to agency and bringing you on board, treat them as you’d want to be treated. As a vital part of the machine, not somebody who fights fires and plugs gaps.
How to build stronger relationships:
Look for alignment: Hire people who share your values and communication style to create a smoother working relationship.
Be open and transparent: Let them know your goals, expectations and what success looks like for the project.
Show that you appreciate them: A simple “thank you” or recognition of good work builds trust and will spur them on to keep producing work you love.
Building relationships takes time, but it’s worth it.
It wasn't until my 4th attempt at hiring that I found someone good, trustworthy, and wanting to improve at my service. You never really know someone, or how good they are before you work with them closely. It has been my biggest challenge so far, and it's my biggest fear as I continue to scale - Joe Carson, Agency Owner
Create a clear decision-making framework
As your agency grows, you’ll face constant decisions about delegating work, setting priorities and handling challenges. So, you need to put a structure in place or risk becoming a bottleneck for your team.
How to make better decisions when scaling:
Set clear criteria: Define what makes a task something only you should do versus something you can hand over.
Use a priority matrix: Categorise tasks by urgency and importance to stay focused on high-impact work instead of micromanaging.
Trust your process: If you’ve hired the right team, let them do what they do best.
Put a decision-making framework in place and you’ll avoid burnout and keep your agency running smoothly.
Consider alternatives to traditional outsourcing
If hiring freelancers who offer the same services as you doesn’t work, you can try some of these alternatives:
Automated tools: Consider using CRM, accounting software, time management tools and social media scheduling platforms to automate repetitive tasks.
Hire a Virtual Assistant (VA): A VA can take on admin tasks, freeing you up to focus on the work you actually like doing.
Hire In-House: If you’re constantly overwhelmed, hiring someone part-time or full-time might suit you better.
Growing a business is different for every founder, but finding people who share your goals, values and work ethic makes the switch from freelance to agency models much easier.
Outsourcing isn’t a quick fix
While it’s often marketed as a magic solution to free up time, successful outsourcing requires practice, strong systems, and a major mindset shift.
When done right, outsourcing can:
Help you scale without burning out
Improve the quality of your work by leveraging specialists
Free up your time to focus on the tasks only you can do
And the best part?
You don’t have to figure it all out alone...
Need help creating your agency?
If you’re struggling to scale your agency or outsource effectively, I can help you create a plan that works for you and your business.
I’ve worked with clients over the years, helping them to:
Grow their business
Sign more clients
If you need support, drop me an email for a no-obligation conversation.
Until next time,
PS. If you’re still working on growing your business and need some tips, read my article, How Do I Scale My Freelance Business?
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