I get asked all the time about becoming an entrepreneur. I tell everyone to RUN! (lol) Don’t laugh too hard but seriously I do. But if you really up to it, here are my 5 tips to starting your journey as an entrepreneur. And you know what, the way my fingers are set up on the keys, it may be more than 5.
- Learn how to laugh! Really learn how to laugh because it will keep you from crying. Understand that you will make mistakes and ask your self later if you lost your mind. You will run into people who do not have your best interest at heart. And guess what!?! You probably paid them some time for money. Learn that laughter will be your best medicine through this journey (or wine) and it will get better and start to make sense as you go through it.
- Appreciate the ‘No’. As an eager entrepreneur, you want everyone to tell you YES! That’s right, you want that instant gratification. We don’t realize that the ‘No’ may be a not right now or a Praise God I dodged that one! Understand that everyone is not going to want to work with you or like your idea. Listen even Oprah is not for everyone! But she keeps doing what she believes and knows that I may not be for everyone, but I’m for someone. You are unique in your own way and so is your business. So, treasure that and move on. I’m in Starbucks right now waiting on a “new client” that stood me up. Am I mad I drove to meet and they canceled at the last minute…a little but the way I’m set up, I see this as an advertising opportunity. You never know who I will speak with while I’m here.
- Who you with? Who are you with? What type of support system do you have? Listen, I brag on my family and friends BIG TIME! BIGGGGGGGGGGGGGG TIME! It’s a true blessing to have a great support system. Because there will be days where you just talk out the side of your neck and need someone to bring you back to earth. There will be days when you feel as if the world is on your shoulders and you need someone to tell you to breathe. There will be days when you don’t know what to do with and you need a praying partner. I don’t think y’all hear me (*cue* the choir) It’s not hard to be an entrepreneur but a true challenge and we all need someone to lean on.
- Organize your life. I live by my daily planner and my google calendar. Life is not meant to be work work work (Rihanna twerk) Life is meant to be enjoyed in an utmost way. Plan our your day as if you are in an office. From your gym time to family time, put it on the calendar. Don’t forget your ‘ME Time’ too. If you are not whole and healthy, how do you expect to be 110% for your business and family? #IJS I see all the time posted, I’m hustling 24/7. Kudos for you! But I don’t like groceries under my eyes. How can you be at maximum capacity 24/7? Don’t let people fool you on social media, they sleep also. LOL
- Keep the Faith! Understand that being an entrepreneur is a growing process. Hooray if as soon as you start your business it takes off and you are a millionaire. But for those that may take a little longer, hold your head up, keep the faith, and keep doing the good work. When it hits and your business takes off, you will be prepared for it. Why, because you have started implementing your systems when it was just 2 clients. Why, because you have learned how to schedule your life and take a break or two. Why because you are awesome and NOTHING CAN STOP YOU!
- Educate YaSelf! Continue to grow and learn through the process. Just because you made it doesn’t mean you don’t need to improve. Don’t stop till you get enough. When you learn, your clients will benefit more.
I wrote this blog in 2016 and I feel it is still relevant to 2020. Don’t you agree?
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