Over my years of working for and with so many different small business owners, I’ve realized there are two main types. Recognizing which type you are can make all the difference in the world in how well your business does.
Type 1: The Type A Person
This is the person who is great at the administrative side of things. They plan ahead, are usually risk-averse, organized, keep their books up to date on their own, etc. They’re very routine and organized in almost every every aspect of their life (personal, professional, their car is tidy, etc.). They will have written out policies and procedures, checklists, etc. However, they don’t tend to be the best salesmen.
This person needs to have or work with great sellers. They can set up a great system, but they need someone who will be the fuel to get the engine that is the business working to its full potential.
Type 2: The Unorganized Workaholic
This person works their butt off and it shows in their business. They’ll get up early and/or work late into the night, they work much more than normal business hours, and their business grows well because of it. However, it can be a disaster behind the scenes. They’re more likely to have a shoebox full of receipts for their accountant to deal with at the end of the year than to have a clue about their finances beyond whatever their current checking account balance is. They keep poor records of customers, sales, and vendors. They’re vehicle is probably messy.
This person needs to outsource the administrative duties. If they can afford to hire a good manager, they need to hire one that is a Type A person so that together, they have all the strengths that every business needs.
The Good News
The good news is neither type of business owner is better and both can be good or bad. What really matters is that they recognize their own strengths and weaknesses and hire people who supplement their own strengths.