Three Steps to becoming a More Successful Small Business Owner

Print Friendly

The first secret

” Get Some Enthusiasm”!

Welcoming business man

Am I trying to say that you are dull, uninteresting or tired of your job –  no, nor am I selling motivation but how you feel about your business and yourself is one of the most important things in becoming a successful small business owner.

I love having my own business, I always have. Even on days when there has been no work and the banks were on my back I loved what I did.

Since I started my business sixteen years ago I have never attempted to return to ” normal” employment. Hell I’m unemployable and proud of it.

So what? you’re probably thinking. Well this is your greatest advantage over most of the competition. You care about your business, about the quality of your product or service, in fact about everything to do with your enterprise.

So make sure that everyone sees it – customers, prospects, competitors everyone that you talk business with.

I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve sat in a networking breakfast and listened to a tired accountant ( sorry boys and girls but accountants always cop for it) drag himself through a boring dirge about how he can do your Vat return PAYE etc etc.

When we leave what do we remember, not much and nothing good. So why not stand up for your business tell people you are simply the happiest, accountant that loves his job and can give you a service that you will love – that would be different.

Then tell them a story. Collect short stories that illustrate what you can do for people make them entertaining, funny if possible or even tragic – pull the heart-strings.

OK so that’s a bit tongue in cheek but how many times do yo think customers and prospects are faced by some sales person, fresh from a bollocking for not hitting his target, who exudes bored perseverance.

If you can’t beat that then you’d best get filling in the application forms or at the very least look for some new products.

Second Secret

When it’s Sunny sit in the garden

As an entrepreneur you no doubt work longer than most ” employed” people so when you can put some fun back into it.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy ( or girl). Looking back I can remember years of never leaving the office day in and day out. looking out of my tiny window at the sun and people walking by in summer clothes wishing I was with them.  But I wouldn’t move, it never entered my head.

Why? well it wasn’t because I had to be there it was more of a guilt thing. If I was there then I must be working. Most importantly I was seen to be there. Now – who cares.

How many beautiful sunny days did I miss, days that could have been spent doing paperwork, planning or making phone calls all form the quiet beauty of my garden.

When this eventually caught up with me I actually started to love doing this work and as for the jobs that had to be done in the office, I live in the UK there are more than enough rainy days for that.

So make sure that you take advantage of your position when you can the effect on morale will be enormous leading back to more enthusiasm for point number one.

Third Secret

Get Some Help

more success

It doesn’t matter what you are doing resist the temptation to find out for yourself how to do it and then do it yourself.

If you can’t afford someone with all the expertise at least pay for a good ” how to guide”. I have often saved a lot of money by getting things done this way.

As I have mentioned before in a report a couple of years ago 800,000 micro-businesses ( less than 9 employed ) had taken no advice in the preceding 3 years out of approximately 4 million i.e nearly a quarter.

I also suspect that many who hadn’t had advice didn’t want to admit it.

It has a really negative effect for instance although a survey of 10,000 UK microb’s showed that 81% had some sort of website, 80 % of these were, regrettably, not suitable for purpose.

Keep Up

As Usain Bolt is always telling us. Everything changes quickly now and those who don’t change with it get left behind.

When it comes to confidence building there is nothing more destructive than feeling left behind.

There are many online and offline mentors, coaches and advisors to choose from plus a sea of How-To guides to save your precious time.

When chosing one of these my first piece of advice would be to find one that suits your business. If you find yourself talking to coach who specialises in major corporation executives when you single-handedly run a micro business you probably won’t understand a word he says.

So to cut this short story even shorter ” Stay motivated, treat yourself and get help when you need it” three secrets to being a successful small business or micro business owner.

[contact-form][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/]


[/contact-form]

 

 

 

View all contributions by

{ 0 comments… add one }