A few weeks ago, we talked about how to Avoid These 6 Small Business Mistakes. With the New Year ahead of us, I would like to share an article by Lisa Jacobs originally published on her website, Marketing Creativity.
My 6 Biggest Small Business Lessons of 2014
#1 Persistence is key.
We often look at the online empires of others and marvel at the success they’ve found: hundreds of thousands of followers, tens of thousands of sales and a steady flurry of sharing and support. It’s very easy to get caught in the comparison game right then and there and think: I don’t have anywhere near that reach! I’ll never make it in this business. In other words, we tell ourselves that the successful people around us have something we don’t, as if the deck’s been stacked in their favor….
Don’t compare yourself to them! The rest of us start with our very first customer or our very first reader. And from there, we just. keep. building. Persistence is the main ingredient in the recipe for a creative business’ success…
#2 Partnerships are powerful
Without partnerships + creative collaborations, The Movers & Makers Summit would not exist!… I love working with others; I’ve always enjoyed collaboration. However, in developing the upcoming retreat in South Carolina, I learned more than ever before about the give and take of a true partnership…
#3 Editorial (and/or marketing) calendars are crucial.
I’ve always enjoyed keeping an editorial calendar, but this year I separated all of my plans into different places….
…In creative business, it’s important to remember and respect all the different hats you need to wear. Your CEO hat (planning, review, decision-making) is as important as your secretary hat (admin, organization and scheduling) and vice versa. In order to run an efficient operation, be sure to take time for these things every month….
#4 Tasks must be prioritized.
… If I start my working day by drifting around on email and social media, I’m not focused on what’s important and I’m essentially losing time. Oh, that email and social media will get checked! There’s no way I’d go a working day without seeking feedback, updates and notifications. But, that really doesn’t count as work, and it doesn’t add to my bottom line.
#5 The work you don’t like to do still needs doing.
…I loved sharing a good income generated from work that I love to do; it validated my efforts. Therefore, I found myself more willing to do the work I don’t like. I set a 50-minute timer and thought,
“It’s alright to not like this part of the job, but it’s still your job to get it done.”
In all honesty and after four years of business, I still need that accountability. When you’re entirely self-employed, it’s easy to procrastinate and spend countless hours checking social media and stats. Technically, you can even categorize that time wasted under “work.” But unless progress has been made toward clear and measurable goals, I don’t consider any work done that day.
#6 Invest in yourself.
If someone you love dearly had the exact same big dream + lofty goals that you do, what would you say to them? Imagine the love and support you’d feel for their endeavors, and then turn those feelings around on yourself. Give yourself that same level of love and support.
You deserve it.
So where are you concerning these 6 lessons? Now is a good time to take a good look at your business and make plans to change what needs to be changed and pat yourself on the back for a job well done!