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Supercharge Your Business Growth

Supercharge Your Business Growth: The Essential Role of Professional Services in Management and Expansion

Embarking on the entrepreneurial journey can be both exciting and challenging. The road to success is paved with both unique obstacles and opportunities. It’s crucial to recognize the power of professional services in addressing these challenges and propelling your business to new heights. By understanding the importance of these services, acknowledging the disparities within the professional landscape, and taking active steps to seek out support and hire professionals, you can create a solid foundation for success that not only allows your business to soar.


Recognizing the Common Obstacles Faced by Black Canadian Entrepreneurs

As a Black Canadian entrepreneur, it’s essential to acknowledge that you’re not alone in facing certain unique challenges. These challenges can range from limited access to capital and difficulty securing loans to navigating the complexities of business plan writing and contract bidding. Understanding these common obstacles and acknowledging that they are not exclusive to your business is the first step in proactively addressing them. By identifying these challenges early on, you can take the necessary steps to overcome them and ensure your business thrives.

As an entrepreneur, you expect to wear many hats. In fact, 86% of Black businesses have less than 5 employees*, making it tempting to become a jack of all trades. But it’s essential to be attuned to the signs that it might be time to bring in a professional. For example, a recent study found that 39% of Black business owners admitting to being late in completing their tax returns*.  As a business owner it is imperative to manage your financial records and staying up to date with tax obligations is not only vital for your business’s financial health but also for maintaining compliance with government regulations.  Financial advisors, accountants, legal and IT service providers can address specific challenges and help to overcome hurdles that are common for business owners and these professionals can take this burden off your plate.


Top 5 reasons to hire professionals to support your business

    1. Gaining Access to Expert Knowledge 


      Think about how, by partnering with a marketing professional, you can reach new customers, expand your target audience, and increase your overall market share. This leads to a stronger, more recognizable brand that attracts loyal customers and generates consistent revenue.


      Professional service providers bring valuable expertise and specialized knowledge to your business, empowering you to navigate challenges, uncover new opportunities, and make well-informed decisions.

    2.  Boosting Efficiency and Productivity

      Engaging professionals lets you focus on your core business activities, ensuring your time and resources are optimally utilized while the experts take care of the specialized tasks, leading to a more productive business that gets more done.

      For instance, with the assistance of a professional bookkeeper or accountant, your business benefits from well-organized financial records and timely tax filings. This not only helps you avoid penalties but also provides you with valuable financial insights, enabling you to make data-driven decisions for the future success of your business.

    3. Gaining a Competitive Edge

      Professional services provide valuable insights and expertise that can help you stay ahead of industry trends, implement innovative strategies, and adapt to the dynamic business environment, giving your business a competitive advantage.

      Engaging a skilled graphic designer or web developer results in a professional, visually appealing brand identity and online presence. This enhances your credibility and customer trust, ultimately leading to higher customer retention and a positive reputation in your industry.

       

    4. Building Valuable Connections 

      Collaborating with professional service providers can introduce you to important networks and relationships within your industry, opening doors to new partnerships, collaborations, and business opportunities.

      An example, working with an experienced professional in proposal writing and contract bidding can lead to winning more contracts and securing new business opportunities. This will contribute to the growth and expansion of your business, increasing its competitiveness in the market.

       

    5. Growing and Adapting with Ease

      As your business expands, professional services can support a seamless and efficient scale-up of your operations. They also offer flexibility by providing resources and assistance when needed, without the long-term commitment of hiring full-time employees. 

The elephant in the room – professional service cost

Even though hiring professional services might feel like an added expense initially, it can lead to substantial cost savings over time. Professionals can prevent costly mistakes, streamline processes, and uncover cost-saving opportunities in your business.

For example, hiring a financial advisor or accountant can help you optimize your financial management, leading to improved cash flow, better budgeting, and increased profits. This provides a strong financial foundation for your business, paving the way for long-term success.

At FACE, we recognize that for start up companies and growing businesses that the cost to hire professional services can be a challenge.  With that in mind, we partnered with TD to launch the Propelling Black Entrepreneurship program that will offer 50 grants ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 to qualifying Black entrepreneurs across Canada as subsidies to contract corporate business service providers.

Our goal through this program is to support Black Canadian entrepreneurs in the creation of their business and financial documents, including business plans, financial statements, and tax filings to help improve access to financing.  The program will start in April, to sign-up for details visit facecoalition.com/resources


*Source: DBPA LABOUR MARKET NEEDS ASSESSMENT 2022, ISED CANADA 2021.

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