A bauble-heavy bottom half... and a business lesson

So this weekend, I finally put up the Christmas tree.
And when I say finally, I mean… I’ve been known to wait until the kids finish school before I even think about it.

It takes me a while to get into the Christmas spirit — let’s just say the magic is much stronger when you’re not the one doing all the organising, planning, buying, wrapping, and coordinating! 🎄😅

I did the usual: tree up, lights on.

But this year, our youngest insisted on putting all the baubles on himself.
Now… when my older boys were young, my OCD absolutely would’ve kicked in. And anyway, they were always quite happy to just watch me do all the work!

But he was so keen, so excited, so proud — so I let him go for it.

The result?
We now have a tree of two halves:
🎄 The bottom — absolutely awash with baubles
🎄 The top — completely bare

I will fix it at some point, but let’s be honest… this tree is never going to be Instagrammable! 😂

But as I sat looking at this very wonky, very bottom-heavy Christmas tree, it really reminded me of something:

Small business owners are exactly the same with delegation.

We spend years clutching onto every role…
Every task…
Every admin job…
Every customer email…
Every operational detail…

Because we believe no one can do it as well as we can.

Sometimes that’s true.
But you know what?
Sometimes… other people are actually better at it — or they just need clearer direction from us as business owners.

Delegation is one of the biggest hurdles small business owners face, but we mustn’t let the fear of it hold us back.

Because the reality is this:
👉 It’s the only way a business grows.

And while I enjoyed a lovely, peaceful cup of tea instead of hanging baubles…
it made me think:

If someone else took the drudgery off your plate, what could YOU be doing that would actually move your business forward?

Three things to consider this week about delegation:

1️⃣ What tasks drain your energy but don’t grow your business?
These are your first candidates for delegation or outsourcing.

2️⃣ Is the problem really the person — or unclear expectations?
Often, people don’t fail at tasks… they fail at guessing what we want.

3️⃣ What would you do with even 5 extra hours a week?
Sell more?
Market more?
Rest more?
Or simply breathe?

Delegation isn’t about letting go.
It’s about lifting yourself up.

And if my Christmas tree taught me anything this year…
it’s that the result might look imperfect at first — but the freedom it gives you is absolutely worth it.

Have a wonderful week.
Speak soon,

Cherie