I’ve been talking a lot about investing in expert support lately – both here on the blog and especially in conversations with my new and old clients. It’s a hot topic, and for a good reason. Many knowledge-based entrepreneurs know they need expert support to start, grow, streamline or scale their business. But here’s the thing: they’re often stuck on the how, the when and – perhaps the biggest question of all – the how much.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re building or growing a business that’s centred around your intellectual property, expertise and personal brand. You’re juggling strategy, marketing, client delivery, content creation, systems and more. At some point, the DIY route becomes more of a bottleneck than a badge of honour. That’s when expert support starts to move from “nice to have” to “non-negotiable.”
But how do you make smart decisions about where and how much to invest—especially when your resources are limited and the options are endless?
Let’s break it down by considering the three key sections: your business needs, your stage of business and your goals.
1. Assess Your Current Business Needs
Start by identifying the friction points in your business. Where are you spending too much time? What’s outside your expertise? Where are you losing money or missing opportunities because you don’t have the right expertise?
Some specialist areas where I have discovered entrepreneurs seek expert support during my initial consultation with them include:
- Leveraging their skills, expertise or experience to create products and services
- Transitioning from trading time for money in one-to-one models to creating scalable products and services.
- Implementing a smart system and effective strategies for a sustainable client acquisition and retention.
- Implementing a strategic process and tool to attract high-quality clients without offering constant FREE consultation and discovery calls.
Other common areas where I have discovered entrepreneurs seek expert support and outsourcing during my consultation include the following:
- Branding and communication
- Product creation and development
- Content creation and copywriting
- Tech and systems implementation
- Financial strategy and bookkeeping
- Legal and intellectual property
- Hiring and team development
- Marketing and advertising
- Executive coaching or mindset support
You don’t need expert support or to outsource everything at once. Focus on the area that’s creating the biggest drag on your growth or keeping you stuck. That’s where expert support or outsourcing can provide the highest return on investment (ROI).
2. Understand Your Stage of Business
What you need – and what you should spend – varies greatly depending on whether you’re just starting out or scaling your business. Here’s a general guide:
Just Starting Out
You’ve just started your own business and still building your foundations. Your budget might be lean, hence prioritising support that gives you clarity and speed – like finding a coach, entrepreneurial consultant or strategist who can help you refine your product or services and go to market faster. You might need to spend say 10-20% of your projected revenue on expert support, with the goal of achieving clarity, access to expertise and building momentum with minimal time, risk and cost.
Building your Business
You’ve created your product or services, proven your offer and now you need help to optimise systems, improve delivery and expand your reach. At this stage, you may now be looking to invest more in marketing, technology and communications. Hence spending about 15–25% of your revenue on expert support or outsourcing is common – because the focus is on freeing up your time, growing or scaling your services.
Growth and Scaling Stage
You’re ready to scale your services or business and are now looking into building a real team and a more scalable business model. Expert support may now shift towards hiring your own expert team – marketing, communication, admin, accounting and tech to manage non-core tasks and complexity. Expect to invest 20–30%+ of your revenue depending on your goals and growth rate.
3. Align with Your Goals
Your investment should always reflect your goals. Are you trying to create new a product or services? Grow revenue quickly? Work fewer hours? Launch something new? Enter a new market?
For example:
- If your goal is to create or launch a signature program, investing in a product development specialist or a launch strategist may make more sense than simply hiring a business coach.
- If your goal is to leverage your expertise or experience to create products or services to serve others, then an entrepreneurial consultant and strategist would be the right option for you.
- If you want to license your intellectual property, legal and IP consulting becomes a higher priority.
- If you’re focused on building your authority, you may want to invest in PR, podcast booking, book writing (and a ghost writer) or content strategy.
Don’t invest based on trends or peer pressure. Invest based on what will get you closer to your next milestone.
Final Thoughts: Think of It as Strategic Investment, Not Expense
Expert support isn’t just about spending money – it’s about buying back your time, expanding your capacity and shortening your path to results. When you choose wisely, the ROI often pays for itself many times over.
That said, be intentional. Set a support budget aligned with your revenue, revisit it quarterly and always evaluate ROI – not just based on the amount, but in clarity, time saved and progress made.
And remember, the right expert support at the right time can be the difference between going round the same circle and making real, strategic moves.
So, the real question is: Are you investing in the right expert support like a well- informed expert or entrepreneur your business needs – or are you still trying to do it all alone?
Are you ready to explore what expert support could look like for your next level?
