Tag Archives: solopreneur

Pushing Beyond The ‘If Onlys’

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I have had a lot of ‘if only’ moments in my life.   Sometimes those moments stretch into days, then weeks, months and even years.  If only I went to a certain school or a certain college, lived in a certain neighbourhood, had a certain friend or mentor or whoever I needed to influence me to take certain steps in the ‘right direction’.

Then came a time when I had enough of my ‘if only’ moments.  I decided that I had to rid myself of the excuses of not stepping out to do what I wanted to do for so long.  Ok I can’t change the past but I can stop wallowing in self-pity and determine my future.   Even if I had done all those things on my ‘if only’ list, I still have to work hard to make a success of my own life. Who says anything good will come easy, even if we got certain things right from the start.

So in 2009 I decided to bury my ‘if onlys’ and start Business First Steps – doing what I love.  Since I started my business, the ‘if onlys’ are fading into insignificance because God is causing all things to work together for my good, even those things that I thought were accidental.  Yes, I was scared of the unknown when I started but I did it afraid anyway.  A few years down the line and I am still surging forward – sometimes afraid.  In those few years, I have fought some really tough mind battles – the battle to stay or to quit, to fight or to give in to defeat.  Undeniably it takes a lot of courage and other traits to start a business.  It takes even more courage and the ability to win the battles of the mind to keep on doing that business.  If you can stand up to fight and win those battles, then you are surely on the right track to Success Avenue.

So if you want to take a step in the right direction today and start your own business, do what I did in 2009.  Take a moment to consider some of the successful people out there doing what they love every day of their lives. Find out how they started, did they all have an easy start…I don’t think so.   Then think of the small steps you can take to start creating your own pathway to a future with very few ‘if onlys’ in it.

If only you can step out of your comfort zone and act on your plan TODAY, you probably will be writing your own successful start-up story pretty soon.

I really wish you good success.

Temi Koleowo.

Business First Steps… Personalised and Practical Business Start up Services and Support

The Gear Stick

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I remember when I was learning how to drive and the thought of changing gears used to fill me with dread. I prayed to God that the traffic lights will always be green so I could avoid the notorious biting-point when moving on. Oh the pain of learning how to drive! I was so elated when I passed my driving test. Guess what! I was also quick to forget my driving fear, the neck pain and throbbing headaches from concentrating so hard.

How do I go from Gear One to Six? 

Getting the kids ready to go back to school today got me thinking of why I need to change my business gear too.  Every now and then I get restless with my business goals and it is always an indication that I need to do more to grow my business.

Lately it seems I have been stuck in gear three for a while, business is not slow but my speed is limited to a certain level on the speedometer. You might be familiar with this – getting enough clients to keep you motivated but not enough to stretch you. I had my reasons for travelling at that speed, one being family commitments but that excuse is fading fast  as my little one starts school this week.

My driving instructor once told me that if I keep travelling in gears 1,2 and 3 only, I will do some damage to my car. The same goes for any business stuck in slow.  So I got my pen and paper out to consider what I need to do to raise the bar and travel in gear six. After all there is no way I can travel in gear six if I move at 20mph.

If I want to grow my business and make it as big as it can be, I better get ready to travel fast.  So as I write my list, I will implore you to do the same.

So what controls do you need to put in place to grow your business?

  • Do you need to wake up a bit earlier in the morning or add more hours at night?
  • Watch less TV?
  • Reduce the number of personal phone calls you answer during the day?
  • Read more books or publications about your industry?
  • Get qualified or training?
  • Take your to-do-list seriously?
  • Find a mentor, a consultant or someone you can share your ideas and brainstorm?
  • Exercise more to be fitter so you can think better?

If your business is stalling because you are stuck in gear one, isn’t it time you change gear so you can accelerate and reach your destination faster?  It is going to be a gradual process to travel at 80mph and beyond. But first thing is to gain control of your vehicle so you can at least increase your speed.  Once you can establish how to do that, then press down those pedals and change that gear stick. It is amazing how the car/business responds to that.

That is my plan for the next few months. I am going to get my head down and improve my business systems so I am more effective and efficient thereby producing more profitable results.  I hope you do the same and if you have other ideas of how we can accelerate to 100mph, do share.

If you need help with your business start-up or development, I can help you make sense of your ideas with my Business Brainstorming Sessions and other services.  Get in touch for more details.

I wish you good success.

Temi Koleowo

www.businessfirststeps.co.uk

Photos by runrunrun and buryosiol

The Silent Treatment

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Prospects giving you the silent treatment lately?  I know how you feel as we all get that sometimes.  You draft the perfect email or rehearse your sales pitch for when you make the call and afterwards silence!!

You may even just be starting out in business and everyone is excited about the new idea. Then suddenly everything stops as apprehension and uncertainly sets in; now you consider if sales will match up to expectation.  Even big companies’ experiences the “silent treatment” so do not think it is peculiar to your business alone.

There is a pressure free way to re-establish communication when your prospects give you the “cold shoulder”.

  • So what can you do to bring negotiation back to the table?
  • So what to do when you get the ‘silent treatment’ from a prospective client, after all everything was going on fine and the deal was almost in the bag then nothing?

Hanging on to Hope

We all get caught up in trying to make a sale because all our hopes and desires are caught up in getting that deal signed. Before you start barging your prospects with emails and phone calls, it is wise to find out what brought about the silence.

When we consider our products and services and how to make a sale, we play out the outcome in our minds and fail to see an alternative route.  In an ideal world this should just happen but it is never so.  If our prospect then fails to act according to our expectations, confusion and frustration sets in and we may even feel betrayed, after all you spent time and money trying to make that sale.

So What Can We Do to Reconnect with Silent Clients?

Well a good way to solve the mystery of the ‘silent treatment’ is to properly diagnose the problem. You may huff and puff right here and say “if someone is unwilling to get in touch, how would I know their thoughts”.  Well, first things first; let go of the sale pressure in your communication with the unyielding client.

This scenario happened to me recently when I was chasing a prospective client. After much ado, I decided to ask “how can I help with your business” rather than the usual talk about my business offerings.  Luckily he was quick to point out where he was struggling and I was able to offer my assistance and the sale was done!

So simply put – when you get the cold shoulder, don’t despair, try to find out an alternative route and rectify the problem.

Sales confidence is an important aspect of business and if your prospects are not responding to your sales tactics this can dent your confidence and seriously affect your business.  You may blame yourself for a bad pitch, poor materials or ineffective emails strategies.  The truth may be the prospective client just doesn’t need what you sell right now.

Gain Focus – if you know what your prospects want, you can focus on what to offer them. Research can help you accomplish this and let go of some of those prospects you have been targeting for a while.  Letting go gives you time to go in search of prospects that are a better fit for your business.  Now you will start working efficiently and spend less time with dead-end prospects.

Know the Truth – once you are able to identify your prospects ‘pain’ and ‘truth’, you let go of what I call “stress of the unknown”.   You can let go of those open-ended conversations or emails that lead to nowhere.  I should mention though that some prospects might need you in the future but so don’t burn all your bridges.

The more relaxed we are with our potential clients, the easier and more open they will be with you which helps you identify their needs.

Reconnect with ‘Silent Clients’

Get in touch, preferably call them and let them know there is no sales pressure behind your call.  Ask them for feedback about your website, your products or services, your emails or newsletter.  Let them know how much you value their feedback.  Stress the important of their views being an essential part of your business growth to help you improve your services.

If you go about the silent treatment this way, you may be pleasantly surprised at your clients’ responses.  You get a better perspective of their ‘why’ and you will stop being frustrated and increase your productivity.

Business First Steps is passionate about business start-up and development.  Our brainstorming sessions at intervals to suit you will help you gain a new perspective of your business goals and objectives.  Each session is unique to you and your business and personalised to address your own needs with solutions that work and grow your business.  From start-up to up-and-running businesses, we care for them all.

Is Self Employment an Easier Option?

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I must confess that working as an employee I never enjoyed waking up early. I played it by the ear until I started having babies and had to do school and nursery runs.  I developed a fine art of getting ready in little or no time at all, just because I had the morning blues (most days).  Well now I am self-employed and I am sure you will like to know if I get a lie in once in a while.  The answer is rarely, too many opportunities to maximise!!!

The Reality of Self Employment

A lot of us think of self-employment as an escape route from taking orders from a boss who towers over us and watches our every move.  We want to do our own thing, work at our own pace and in our own time.  With self-employment, you get very little ‘me’ time – especially at the early development stages.  In the first few years of starting your business, you have to work really hard to get it off the ground, build a trusting reputation and keep it afloat.  I strongly believe that starting a business is neither for the faint hearted nor the work-shy.  A new business will place unimaginable demands on you and most of these demands you cannot delegate as no one else knows the plan like you do. Even if you employ freelancers or consultants, you still need to drive the business forward because your reputation is at stake.  Remember input = output.

Do I Carry It All?

I contract some of my work out to freelancers when I get really busy but quality control is a very important aspect I need keep in check.  If my freelancer does a shoddy job, I can’t point fingers at anyone. To my client the work was done by Business First Steps and my reputation and quality of work is very important to me.  I have been burnt a few times and I do not intend to let that happen again.  So when contracting out make sure you get valid references, check their work and sign a proper agreement to cover amendments and cancellations.

Accept the Facts

If you are considering starting a business, you must be ready for the rigour of the first few years.  You will be climbing mountains and pulling yourself out of valleys sometimes. Accept the fact that there is hard work to get through to get the rewards business ownership offers.  There is going to be late nights and early morning rises, emotional highs, lows and in between moments.  Set your mind on the goal you want to achieve and get your priorities in order so your life is well-balanced.

Be Flexible

You also need to be flexible and know when to re-route and change direction. Your initial starting point might not be the best option after all. If you fail the first time but you know you are built for entrepreneurship,  don’t be discouraged, take a step back, recharge and try another route.  My pilgrimage to my present destination took me through a variety of business options including toner supplies – a far cry from where I am now.

Do not believe all the get rich quick gimmicks out there that claim you can make £100,000 in 30 days.  People that succeed legally will tell you how much effort they had to put into their business to get it to the stage it is currently at.

You will get some time off for good behaviour, but in the initial stages they may be far in-between.  So get your mind prepared for the journey ahead, get help where you can and start your journey rearing to go.

My advice is if you want to join the elite group of business owners, count the cost before you commit to that business.

At Business First Steps we can help you turn your start-up into a success!

Enjoy the process….Temi.

www.businessfirststeps.co.uk

Do you Love your Business?

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It is always a good idea to evaluate our lives and motives at regular intervals, asking ourselves questions such as:

  • Are you in love with your job or business?
  • Is it serving the right purpose or is it just something to get by?
  • How do you know what you love to do and do what you love?

These are questions a lot of us do not actually want to answer, especially if you have been in the same role for many years doing the same job or running the same unprofitable business.

On another spectrum, there are some people out there, who wake up with exhilarating excitement to face every day. They are those who are fortunate enough to have found something they love to do.

Stopping the Same Old Thing

If every morning fills you with dread and you wonder how you will get through the day, it might be worth your while to take a step back and evaluate your life. It is of vital importance that you love your business and not love just the money you get from the business. Money is easy to love, but it is not so easy to sustain that love when things are not working.

If there is no true joy and passion for what you do, need for growth and improvement will be on the back burner. You will have no desire to expand or grow your business, eventually the aspiration starts to wane and the business might collapse.

True Business Love

When you are involved in a business you love, you are keen to develop that business and always taking steps to make it work. You are passionately engulfed in business activities that will ensure your venture grows. There is the urgency to provide solutions and solve problems to push your project to the next stage. You are also always in a constant state of productive and proactive change, and you are most of the time invigorated and excited.

The passion and fervency you use to run your business is what turns into sustained profits. The challenges that might occur along the way are seen as the chance to climb higher. You are open to opportunities, in tune with your inner self and able to spot channels that will accelerate your business growth. The core element of an entrepreneurial mindset is PASSION, something which cannot be developed doing what you do not love or enjoy.

Finding something you enjoy and love will take a conscious effort on your path. It is an envious place to be when you are doing what you love and getting results. Once you discover your passion for the right business, your natural instinct kicks in and drives you to success.

There are ways in which you can discover and embrace something that interests you and find the business of your dreams. Visit http://www.businessideabooster.com to learn more about how to discover your passion and start a journey to a more fulfilling life.  Alternatively sign up for the one-2-one Passion Definition, Business Idea Development or Brainstorming Sessions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6424651 Picture by Nellart sxc.hu.

Emails and Time Management

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If you have a work inbox, you most likely will get emails everyday. Some from your clients, your suppliers,  email listings and some unwanted.  So how exactly are you suppose to deal with your inbox on a daily basis so it doesn’t take over your business life?

Choose a Time Slot

Find a time slot in the day when you choose to open your emails.  If you are easily distracted, do not make it the first task in the morning as it may spiral out of control if something catches your fancy.  I choose to open my emails first thing as it helps set my mind for the day, especially information from my clients and email subscriptions.   Allocate a specific amount of time to deal with your emails, mine is twenty minutes maximum. 

Filter Your Emails

Some of your email will be urgent, some will be for further reference and some are meant for trash or junk mail.  Try to read through the important ones rather than save them for later.  Reduce the mail in your inbox as you go along – do not be afraid to hit the delete button.  Compartmentalized them into folders such as resources, email subscriptions, junk etc.  Make sure that your ‘read later’ pile is kept to a minimum and do ‘read them later’.

No Entry – Friends and Family  

                                                

Politely ask your family and friends not to send personal emails to your work inbox.  Less mail from loved ones can drastically reduce your workload and sifting process.  If they must send one (for business), ask them to make it short and to the point. 

 

Reply in a Jiffy

If you need to reply to an email, summarise your points  and do not go into an elaborate write-up. 

Maintain Good Practice

  • Once an email is read, remove it from your inbox either into another folder for reference or delete it. 
  • Try to keep your inbox as clear as possible, if an email is lingering there for too long – maybe you do not need it after all. 
  • Unsubscribe from email listings you no longer find useful and keep subscriptions to  a manageable level.
  • Make it a habit to junk the mail you did not solicit for or need.  
  • Keep your work inbox for work and not for leisure activities, if necessary create a mail box for that purpose and make sure you notify people to use it for your personal emails.   
  • Shift through your inbox once a week to weed out emails that have been lingering unread for days. 
  • Show junk and spam mail no mercy as they are major time-wasters. 
  • Do not visit your inbox too many times during the day, I visit mine thrice a day morning, lunchtime and before I close shop for the day. 
  • If you are expecting an important mail, then be strict with yourself to check in and check out without loitering!

Don’t forget to glance through your junk mail as some important mail might slip through the net.  As you tackle your inbox this week, be firm so you can spend your time doing what matters. 

Wishing you every success.

Temi

www.businessfirststeps.co.uk

Coming soon to a site near you – Time Management Tips for a More Effective You.

Photo courtesy of sxc.hu Kveselyte, WR-fife