THE QUESTION I GET ASKED ALL THE TIME.
This is a question I get asked so many times. Many people feel secure in working for somebody else and receiving a steady income every month. Taking the leap into running your own business can be rather scary. I must add here that owning your own business is not for everybody and is a decision one needs to take carefully. If you have worked for a company for a long time and you are thinking of taking the leap, I would recommend that you speak to a few people and make sure you have all the information necessary to make this decision. People who prefer to have a set salary and strict working hours often struggle to make the transition to building up your profit margin and working long and often irregular hours. I do believe that every individual can grow and learn so being patient with yourself when starting your own business is important. I know that you often don’t have the luxury of patience particularly when you are under pressure to begin making profits. But being kind to yourself means you will be able to persevere for the long haul.
BIG BUCK QUESTION!
The stumbling block to starting your own company usually surrounds the big buck question. Do I have enough money to start this business and meet all my monthly requirements as I am setting up the business? You must make sure that you are aware of all the costs involved in the business you are setting up. Often there are hidden costs that you have not thought about. Research and asking for help from other people in the industry is key to your future success. You may think that your competitors are not willing to help you, but I have often found collaborating with other people in your industry is beneficial to both parties.
TIME MANAGEMENT
You must manage your time effectively. If you are working from home, get up and dressed. Have set times for breakfast, lunch, and tea breaks. Set yourself tasks to do daily and don’t look at your bank account every hour. I promise it does not grow that quickly. I recommend that you have at least one hour per day off without any meetings. This is your productive time where you should get all emails and little things out of the way. Try to action tasks as you get them and try not to put these off for another day. Be productive in every minute you spend on your business. Don’t waste time with negative thoughts of I can’t and surround yourself with people who believe in your dream.
MY STORY
I was a teacher for over 30 years. I had a scheduled bathroom breaks and very definite holiday times, with very little flexibility. Still to this day I love having a bathroom break just because I need it. I have grown accustomed to not always knowing what my monthly income will be and set myself targets every month. I am totally honest with myself and often push my reset button when I am going off course. My best advice is don’t be fearful. Take a leap of faith in yourself, remember we learn from every moment in our lives.
This one could just be magical.