Six lessons from six years in business

The end of October marks the point that I left my last employed role. It was scary and felt like a massive step; I continue to be immensely grateful that I can run my own business and that I am still here! Six years on, I often “pinch” myself that I am in this position. To support parents to create a career to enjoy, whilst building my own! To be trusted, as a confidant and a critical friend, using my experience and skills, working in a sector I adore! I have come to learn that there are many assumptions made about what it’s like to work for yourself, to take a risk and step out into a new opportunity. So, this week I want to share six lessons I have learned from six years in business. Maybe these can help you create a career to enjoy, too?

Six lessons from six years in business (that can help you create a career to enjoy!)

1. Know your worth

This is probably one that comes up every time I write a blog like this. However, the definition of my worth has changed, from my first anniversary to the fourth and fifth! It’s not just about how much money I earn, but what opportunities I engage with. Part of this is accepting that things change; the experiences that you have personally and professionally, and the new skills and experience you gain, will lead to adaptions in your career and business. Nothing will stay the same, and that is OK! 

 

2.  It’s liberating to stay small

When I started the business, I assumed that growth was the ultimate measure of success. To have an office in an external building, travelling all over the country, be in magazines, and with a team around me. I looked at people that had a massive brand, and (I assume) a massive turnover and wondered if that is something that I needed to aspire to. It started in the early days, with the question of “is it we or an I” in my marketing copy! Over the years this has lessened; the past year has shown me the power of staying small. To be agile, to be lean and to be even more flexible on when and who I work with. Reading “Company of One” really reinforced this approach for me. Having a business that supports my current lifestyle is my success measure. 

 

3. Try to see yourself how others see you

One of the hardest adaptions is accepting  I was the brand. Whilst helping people understand what I did and how I helped their careers is essential, ultimately people invest in people. What came with this acceptance of personal branding, was hearing other people’s opinions of me; good, bad and potentially ugly! Whilst it can be useful to consider negative feedback as the potential for self-improvement, I’ve actually found the positive (and occasionally glowing) feedback very uncomfortable at times. So, I’ve had to settle into taking a step back and accepting how others see me. That is a writer, a leader, and someone that can inspire.  Ultimately, let’s get to a position where we don’t fight any feedback; just accept it and move forward.  

4. Invest, invest and invest again! 

The past year, ironically, finally gave me the confidence to invest in myself more. To trust that income will be sustainable and steady. Initially, in the early years of the business,  this investment meant working with others that were more skilled than I; copywriting, web design, accountancy, IT and photography. But now investment turns to me. Upgrading equipment, paying into a pension and giving myself a pay rise. Where I 100% miss the amount of income I used to get when I was employed, I now have the confidence that I can take steps to impact my self-employed income, rather than being limited by what others think I am worth.

 

5. Daily breaks as just as important as a vacation 

Bearing in mind I work with people on their balance, you may be surprised that this lesson has only arisen in the past year. Like so many of us, 2020 and early 2021 meant that my working day turned on its head, sometimes at very short notice! So, I got used to streamlining what I did, considering the impactful things that my business needed. I got rid of even more of the “busy work” than I had before. So, it’s left me with a new approach to working, which allows for small, regular breaks, rather than the four-day a week highly intense approach that I had pre-pandemic.  

 

6. Sell more than you feel comfortable

This final point is may only relevant for those that have a sales/new business aspect to their career, but one that I think needs to be highlighted. Even as a person who has spent a considerable amount of their working life having to promote what they do, I still can be quite shy when it comes to telling people how they can work with me. Even now, I am asked about services that I assume I  clearly shared online (and we all know what happens when we assume). So, my final lesson learned is to consistently tell people how to work with you. Not just tell them what you do. 

So, there you have it. Six lessons from six years in business. What do you think the past year has taught you? Head over to Creating Careers to Enjoy to join in the conversation and share your thoughts. 

With point number six in mind, head over to my website to find out more about my career and return to work coaching packages. If you are a company and want to support the careers and work-life balance of the parents in your team, then you can find out more here.