You have taken that first step and are now running your own business. These are exciting and challenging times and you will find that you have no time to stand back and reflect. This is why today we are sharing with you 4 things that you must remember as a small business owner, your own little pep talk and reminder service.
You are your USP
We are often encouraged to think about our business’ USP. We are also often advised by well-meaning folks that what we are doing has been done before, or perhaps there are already a dozen people doing it in your hometown. It does not matter, none of this matters, you are your USP.
You set your business apart. The vision that you have is yours and yours alone and your own personality and ideas cannot be replicated. People will come to you, and work with you, because of what you can offer them.
You can trust others
You probably started your business alone. You may well have been a sole trader for some time, but perhaps it is now the time to expand and grow. The problem is, you only have so many hours in the day and so many hands to juggle everything, so what can you do?
It is time to grow your business and your team. Working with a team can be scary and seem like a big step, but it can have a really positive impact on your business. From hiring your first employee or freelancer, to training and building your team, enjoy the process and learn to trust in the people around you. They are there to make your business stronger and will be your support system.
You are not alone
Just because you are running your own business now, it does not mean that you need to become an expert in all things overnight. There will be so many things for you to learn and take on board, it is simply not possible to understand and know everything, but don’t worry, you are not alone.
Make sure that you rely on the professionals for the specialist areas of your business. You might get graphic designers involved with your branding work and then use exhibition stand builders to kit out and design your premises. There are experts out there for every area of your business so take the time to prioritise the ones that will make the biggest impact for you and get them in.
You must take breaks
This is probably the hardest thing to take on board on this list.
When you are running your own small business it can become all-consuming. It often needs to become all-consuming for a certain amount of time in order for you to get it off the ground. But at some point, you really do need to back away a little to avoid burnout.
We are not suggesting that you launch your business and then jet off to the sun for a fortnight, simply that you build breaks in for yourself along the way. Perhaps a lunch date with a friend once a week away from your desk or a full day off from time to time. You need to give yourself the chance to recharge and you will often find that stepping away from work will allow you to see things more clearly.
