1 year in
One year running my own business from home and ready to lay down 10 truth bombs from a woman in business in Alberta, Canada.
1. You don’t have to know what you’re doing. The greatest gift to any entrepreneur is the ability to learn whatever the heck you want to learn about. Keep flexing that learning muscle and be open to attacking any subject.
2. Don’t be afraid of any part of running a business. Social media, book-keeping, cold calling, etc. All you need to do is say “yes” to the first step, which is building knowledge (#1 above!). Next, say “yes” to trying. You’ll get there, I promise (although at some point soon I really should hire a book-keeper). News flash, you won’t be great at everything but you CAN do it all while you’re still a team of 1).
3. No Canadian business is your competition. If we’re going to make it, let’s make it together. Learning to celebrate other businesses (even if they are your so-called “competition”) is a wonderful headspace. I’ve been taking notes from the supportive communities withing the Craft Beer and Kombucha communities – there is no competition, you are building awareness around a brand type TOGETHER.
4. You will get down on yourself. You will mess up. You will make mistakes. It’s part of the process, embrace it, learn from it and don’t do it again. Go easy on yourself, you weren’t born with this knowledge, you are building it through trial and error (and a heck of a lot of research).
5. The people in your past that made you feel like a failure or doubted your abilities, will become your greatest cheerleaders. No, they won’t actually be cheering you on, but your motivation to prove them wrong can mean everything at moments that you need it. It’s not an anger to carry around, rather a belief in yourself with a kick in the butt to do it.
6. You will doubt your ability to run a business. Like really doubt. Like lie in bed not wanting to crawl out from under the blankets because you feel like a complete failure. We ALL have these moments, and they ALWAYS pass.
7. You may feel shy or uncomfortable. I had no idea that I had such an introverted side, until I was called upon to show other business owners that I’m a star. Find your method of comfort (for me, social media feels good) and enjoy spreading your wings in this direction. If cold calling isn’t your thing, create a video and pay for the right people to see it. Grow your confidence in your comfort zone and you’ll be ready to take on the world in no time.
8. Not everyone wants to help you, but many genuinely do. For me, it has been super awkward and uncomfortable to ask time and energy from others (I easily feel like a burden to others). Trust that those that offer to help do indeed want to spend time with you. You DO have value, let others tip the scale back by providing their value to you.
9. It may feel impossible to find answers. Tiny steps will get you there. A Google search, another Google search, a slightly different Google search, and maybe another search, will start to build the road map, every single time.
10. Be you. Genuine is beauty. Real is trust. Humans are brilliant in their ability to see through a facade. Not a single human on Earth is the exact same and this keeps life interesting. You’ll jive with some and shake with others, but those you jive with will almost always end up in good business together.
If you’re a new business owner and can relate to some of these truths, know that I got you, and many more businesses have you too. Get out there and shine baby.