I spend a lot of time on Facebook!
Not because I enjoy it so much, but it's my job. I see countless people with dreams of starting their own business, much like I was 3 years ago. I was full of ideas and my "go-getter" attitude was at its peak. It truly is an invigorating feeling to make a dream come true and start your own business.
What happens after the initial burst of energy?
What happens after the once supportive voices turn negative?
From my experience, I have hit all 3 pitfalls and learned valuable lessons, which I will share:
1. Be Patient With Your Process
Hopefully, before entering the entrepreneurial space, you wrote down a process. A complete step by step guide that would yield success. I did not when I first started and I learned the hard way how much of a mistake that was. I had nothing to gauge my progress, nothing to give me guidance to make sure the steps I was taking would give me the results I wanted. Without a plan, you don't even know how to be patient with the process. Having a documented plan allows you to stay the course and celebrate victories as they come. It allows you to stay patient with the process you created.
2. Avoid Being A Jack Of All Trades
When you are the only person working your dream, you force yourself to be a jack of trades. Suddenly, the things you know very little about become things that bog you down. They become time consumers because you are trying to learn as you go. This takes away from actually working in your business to working on your business. The added pressure you place on yourself to know everything can even cause resentment towards your business. After all, you got into a business of your own to soar, not be held down by endless tasks, however necessary they might be. Outsource if you can afford it or find ways to stream line repetitive duties. This saves time and relieves some of the pressure on you.
3. Grow Mental Ear Plugs
In the beginning, people cheered your efforts and celebrated your liberation. After a while, those same voices might have dulled or disappeared altogether. I meet with lots of business owners and they share pretty personal things with me. Not because I am so insightful, it's because I listen. They speak of spouses that put their efforts down, clients that disrespect them, competitors that post fake reviews to damage their credibility and the list goes on. My advice is the same advice I have to remind myself of: Grow Mental Ear Plugs. People's own fear can cause their harsh comments about entrepreneurs that have the courage to follow their dreams. You can't control the words that are spoken from others, but you can control how you intake and process it.
Dreams are like a flickering candle and it's our job to keep guard and make sure the flame burns bright. It's no one else's responsibility but our own and the success will be no one's but your own.
Maulissa Rampersad
Rubber N' Glue
Owner