Outsourcing – An Option for Your Business?

Many businesses have begun outsourcing rather than hiring employees when the owner has more work than he/she can keep up with. Oursourcing doesn’t mean sending your work abroad. You may find home workers in your neighborhood, if these are hands-on items you’re producing. If your business concerns online work, then you might use sub contractors from around the world.

 As my home business of producing appliquéd vests for children became larger than I could handle myself, I had to make some choices:

 *Develop a larger operation

*Buy more efficient equipment

*Hire employees

*Outsource (home workers)

*Stay small and refuse orders

*Discontinue or sell this business

 I did decide to gradually slow down with my business and eventually phased it out. At the same time my writing business picked up and I had to make the decision where to place my time.

 I had a friend who expanded her chic clothing business to a larger space and hired employees, discontinuing using home workers. It was successful but very consuming for her. Her partner decided she didn’t care for the responsibilities of the larger operation, so sold out to my friend.

 A toy maker in my state grew larger by outsourcing…subcontracting to home workers. Eventually she hired workers onsite as well.

These are three examples of home business owners who decided to oursouce and not to oursource.  You have to evaluate your business options and see whether outsourcing is viable for you.

 What has been your experience with outsourcing?