September 12, 2013
Which Tech Duties Can I Outsource? 15 Entrepreneurs Weigh In
Where’s Jack of All Trades?
“Each of the mentioned jobs can be outsourced. However, don’t fall into the trap of hiring someone who says he can do some or all of the tasks you throw at them. If you need PHP programmer, hire one. If you need a person to create a .PSD design for your website, hire a professional who’s done excellent site templates in that format. Always try to find a specialist, not a jack of all trades.”
– Juha Liikala | Founder & Owner, Stripped Bare Media
Proceed With Caution
“Having literally just completed our website redesign two weeks ago, I can attest to both sides of the coin. Outsource because it saves you a lot of money, but be very careful about who you hire. Our redesign took four to five months longer than it should have. Looking back, I would say we should have spent a little more time shopping around instead of acting on impulse and wanting to get things done ASAP.”
– Justin Beegel | Founder, Infographic World, Inc.
Learn From Experience
“I had some bad experiences with web designers picking up and taking off, so I always recommend keeping web design in-house. I also recommend putting your website on a platform like WordPress so it can be easily updated and accessed by everyone who needs it.”
– Heather Huhman | Founder & President, Come Recommended
Keep Tech Developments Close
“Outsourcing technical developments will never give you the results you’re looking for. The vision will be lost in translation, and the money you save by outsourcing will be spent on additional communication time and costs. I recommend you find someone you trust to work with, or buy an existing solution that works well.”
– Christian Springub | CEO and co-founder, Jimdo
Outsource What You Know, In-house What You Don’t
“If you know how to do something extremely well and have it systematized into a routine, then it is a good fit for outsourcing. If you know exactly what you want, how it works and what it does, you can consider outsourcing. On the other hand, if you have a problem and you don’t know how to solve it, do not expect outsourcing to be the solution. If you want a project which evolves with you on a daily basis as your needs change, you should not consider outsourcing. You cannot delegate (outsource) something that you do not know how to do yourself (in-house).”
– Lucas Sommer | Founder CEO, Audimated
Invest in the Right Partner
“Outsource to get the best, not to save money. Find the digital partner who brings the most value to the table and invest in a longstanding relationship. In addition to amazing design and technology, the best digital firms will add value to your business by providing big ideas. Don’t underestimate the value of fresh, expert eyes that are invested in your success.”
– David Gardner | Co-Founder, ColorJar
The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.