By my calculations, I hit an important milestone in September of 2024. When I started The Balance Collective, I remember saying “I’d give it a year”. Following redundancy, I took a leap of faith – in the economy and myself – and decided to make The Balance Collective my only income. It was a massive step for me; I had just left a role and an organisation I had spent over 8 years in. But it was something I felt like I had to do!
Over the years, I have had the pleasure of working with hundreds of people, either through my 1:1 Career & Return to Work Coaching, or my group well-being training, Every time I get feedback, reflections, or receive the “I got the job” message, I know I’ve done the right thing. As of today, The Balance Collective is my longest employment; nine years to be precise!
So, that 12-month period became many more!
Who knows what the future will bring – like my friends in the entrepreneurial space, 2024 has been HARD. But I do know that I don’t regret a second of this journey. Like I have done every anniversary, I take this milestone as an opportunity to reflect on the past 12 months, and I’d like to share these with you today!
You may have noticed that the number of lessons learned each year has become fewer. This is not because I have reached the pinnacle of entrepreneurial knowledge (I’m nowhere near) but it’s one simple thing. The lessons have levelled out, but how they teach me is changing! You can say there are fewer, but the way they show up and affect my personal and professional life is deeper.
Maybe that is what you are noticing yourself with your career, business or life reflections.
I always like to go through my previous year’s blog on this topic, before I start my new one. Just to check how those lessons have continued to impact my business. I also, in true Coach Clara fashion, hold myself accountable, just in case those lessons have slipped since I noted them down.
With all this in mind, here are the four lessons I wanted to share from nine years in business.
The power of vulnerability
I often work on this with clients; how much you share when you are struggling. It’s easy to share our highlights, but, what about when we need support or help? This might be personal or business help; either way, naming what you need and then reaching out to the people you trust makes a difference. If you tend to be a person who is the “fixer” or has grown up in an environment of the assumption of a “stiff upper lip” that can be harder. But, as I have learnt, being open about your struggles, stresses or needs often leads to help and support.
How: Being direct around your situation and specific about your needs helps others help you!
New information can help a creative slump.
Nine years in can mean lots of routine and predictability; even when the world isn’t! I know that my motivation is improved when I get new, interesting information, especially when it’s based on something I find interesting. I am lucky (some might say) that the intersection of my “work”, “interest” and “income” all converge on my business! I “levelled up” my knowledge this year with a new Coaching qualification and could feel the difference from the first session.
How: Where does your attention go? How can you bring that into your work?
Make a plan for the quiet times.
By the end of Q1, I could see things were slower in the business. Thankfully, being vulnerable with others meant I found out quickly this wasn’t sector-specific (or personal!). Whilst I did everything you would expect as a trained sales professional (my life pre-coaching), there were still some empty spaces in my diary. It’s easy to look at those blanks and let them leak into my self-worth. Instead, I decided to use it as an opportunity to make sure my to-list included non-work things. Reframing the (often panic-inducing) quietness into an opportunity not only helped me but helped my business. From yoga sessions to settle my mind, to extra-long coffee catchups with people I hadn’t seen in a while, the slower period started to feel like a gift!
How: What do you want to do, that you can’t find time for now?
To treat my business as a new business!
Nine years in I feel like I have established my brand, my services and my social media space. However, is that the right assumption? When I took a step back, I could see that not everyone knew the breadth of what I do. I also noticed, when reviewing my business with fresh eyes, that the type of work I was doing was being influenced by the economic climate in 2024 (namely, lots of redundancy support). By reviewing things as if I were entering the marketplace in 2024, it enabled me to refresh how I speak about my work, and who I speak to.
How: Take a step back (ideally in a new location away from your usual workspace) and dig deep with your stats, asking new questions!
So, a little bit of a longer blog this week, but hopefully it’s one that you will find useful. Whilst this has been written from the perspective of a self-employed/freelance perspective, I hope you can apply this to your life, career and business.
I’d love to know how these have helped you! Pop over to Creating Careers to Enjoy and share your reflections!
If you want to read my earlier blogs, you can find them here:
Years Seven, Six, Five, Four, One
Please share this with anyone you think would find it useful; as a small business, I appreciate your support.
Clara Wilcox is a straight talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.
