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Moving up in your startup
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June 13, 2000: 11:10 a.m. ET
How to keep clients happy while moving from production to a management role
By Jane Applegate
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Dear Jane: I started a printed circuit board design company about a year ago. I'm busy 50 to 60 hours a week. I want to grow the business and hire other designers, but how can I make the transition from being the main designer to becoming more of a manager? My wife is also learning the business and is an excellent office administrator.
This is a tricky situation because at this point, you are performing all the work for the clients and they will probably not be happy if you move totally into a management role. I would start by hiring one or two assistants you can train and mentor. Slowly introduce them to clients and explain that you are growing the business and need to pass along some of the hands-on work to your new protégés.
If you land a new account, assign it to your assistants so you can begin transitioning out of the day-to-day work and focus on bringing in new business and hiring new people.
If your wife is running the office, that should free you to concentrate on business development and recruitment issues. Make sure you book in enough new business to fully cover the costs of hiring new people. In today's tight labor market you have to not only pay people well but offer them a variety of perks and benefits.
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