Recently, one of my clients who has gone from being an employee to being self-employed asked me, “Do you know anybody who can help me? I can’t do this by myself!” Her question came in spite of her already having a coach and friends who were volunteering to help with the business essentials (web, accounting, marketing, etc.). Furthermore, she had plenty of great networking opportunities and contacts. And yet, she felt “alone” and needy of more help.
I understand her. Transitioning from being a regular employee (in other words, someone who has security and who is a part of a set structure or team) to being an entrepreneur is extremely difficult. To be perfectly honest, it is not for everybody. Therefore, I am compelled to offer some advice to those of you who feel similar to my above-mentioned client.
1.) Accept that you are 100% responsible for your business. If you went through the whole career change process and decided to start your own business, I am assuming that part of the attraction was the opportunity to be your own boss. However, with that role comes responsibility. You have to come up with ideas about your product, your marketing strategies, your budget, your business plan… the list is endless. Frankly, if you can’t accept that responsibility, then this is not the right avenue for you. Re-evaluate your views on responsibility and then make your decision. Please note that even if you have a business partner, they will expect you to be fully responsible for your part of the business.
2.) Take a continuous action. Once you have accepted your responsibility, commit yourself to continuous action. This means taking steps towards building your business on a non-stop basis. Often when things don’t move swiftly enough, people stop, get discouraged and/or begin questioning their decision about having their own business. However, if you want to succeed in your own business, you need to learn to go “through” every obstacle. Don’t go around it, above it, or behind it. Work your way through the obstacle and keep going. Understand that if option A doesn’t work, you always options B, C, D…. you get the picture. Remember, persistence always pays off. Always.
3.) Keep your final vision in mind. When you decided to go into your business, I am assuming you had a certain vision in your mind as to how your life would be “then”, how things will work “then”, and how you will feel “then”. Remembering this final vision is crucial in your journey to success, because, believe me, often your reality is as far away from that vision as possible! You need to be emotionally connected to that vision and wholeheartedly believe in it! You need to have a hunger for it and a drive that will not be stopped by anybody. That is the only way forward; in the end, it will be worth it.
There is much more to share from my experience, as well as from my clients’ experiences. However, if you are serious about succeeding in building your own business, these three points will get you started. If you need additional emotional support, having a career or a business coach is a great investment. A coach will support you but also remind you that your business is your own responsibility. If you are interested in learning how coaching can be helpful, contact me at: [email protected]
Copyright: LB Coaching, 2013
This article by reproduced by kind permission of Natalie Ekberg, http://lbcareercoaching.com/