5 Things I've Learned as a Newbie in Entrepreneurship
Updated: Aug 10, 2021
Here are 5 things I've realised as a female entrepreneur. Each lesson comes with tips for you to take away and implement to help with your lemon tree's growth strategy.
Welcome back! As you know, I am all for helping you succeed as an #entrepreneur so here is where I share my story, tips and tricks to help you grow your lemon trees!
Hey girl! It’s been an unpredictable and tough past year and a half for most of us, and I thought to share with you a few things I’ve learned so far. Why? Well, I think these tips will be helpful and will also shed some light on entrepreneurship; something that I find is underestimated quite regularly. Anyway, let me get right into it!
#1: Starting Up
Beginning a business can be extremely overwhelming and as a Femtrepreneur you must wear several hats especially in the beginning stages. You have to play the role of Finance Manager, Social Media Manager, Administrative Assistant, Public Relations Officer, Customer Experience Manager, Delivery Man, Creative Director, Messenger, Clerk and the list goes on!
As you know, I came from working in Corporate and because I was now required to fulfil so many roles at once, I found myself feeling burnt out and exhausted. I was working morning, noon and night just because I wanted to get things done. But eventually, one thing I learned was to pace myself and take it one day at a time. I mean, what’s the sense in being tired and unable to perform to the best of your ability? So here are some quick treats (tips) for you to take away:
Schedule your days- this may seem overrated but trust that it works. Scheduling would help you keep on track & remind you of the many tasks that need to be completed.
Take time off- no matter how many things are to be completed, take a moment for yourself, do something that makes you happy. I watch tv or even just sit/lay and do nothing for a few minutes. It’s important to let your mind and body relax at points.
Ask for help- sometimes I ask for assistance and bounce ideas off of friends and family. I was always bent on doing everything myself but I’ve learned to reach out occasionally and if you don’t, you should too. It can surely lift a load off!
Have a mentor- someone who has experience and can help make the journey of entrepreneurship feel a little less stressful for you. It’s also a good idea to get someone who has knowledge about your industry/field of work.
#2: Take NO shortcuts
Yes I know when you’re now beginning, there are plenty of things to think about. However, I’d say to never take the easy way out. It comes back to haunt you! Now I’m not saying to always take the long route, because working smart and not hard is a huge difference. What I’m saying is, to ensure you’ve completed all the necessary research for your business venture. Look at the pros and cons of conducting your business and never take shortcuts especially when it comes to your health and safety, the quality of your product or service, customer service or research and development.
Quick Treats
Register your business with your local business registry/intellectual property rights department. Doing this step brings you one step closer to taking your business seriously. It also mitigates the chance of others stealing your name and wrongfully using it.
Open a business bank account. Mixing your personal and business funds can get very messy. I’ve noticed when I speak to other entrepreneurs that their challenge is preparing a business plan to present. Yes, some banks require you to have one among other documents. I’ve created a well accepted business plan. It outlines just what you need- no fluff or unnecessary extras. Since it was accepted by my local bank, I’ve decided that I'll share it with you. Stay tuned to our Instagram to see when it drops!
Take time to properly create your brand’s look and feel, and determine what it stands for. Branding is extremely important and consumers are looking to spend with brands that are consistent and reliable.
#3: Don’t get distracted
When I first started, I discovered that I was measuring myself up to others across various countries. If you are doing this, stop! Although it gave me some motivation, it also made me feel like I wasn’t excelling enough. I believe that this is very detrimental to your wellbeing. So as you go by, always remember that your time will come when it’s destined to come.
Quick Treats
Celebrate the small wins as much as you do the huge wins. If I complete a task that’s as simple as sending an email, I happily check it off my acrylic board! Commend yourself for that small task that you’ve accomplished for the day.
Stop looking at other business owners on social media. Some of the time, they too are feeling down but they’ve decided to show up for their audience.
Give yourself grace. If you made a mistake or bad decision, forgive yourself and move on to the next task at hand. Business is all about learning and using what you’ve learned to grow.
Stay committed to yourself and your business. Yes we are all allowed to have down moments as we are humans, but make sure you continue to reach for the goals you set.
#4: Stop seeking validation from others
In the early stages, I found myself looking to see how others would receive my business and whether they would support my venture. I also began asking friends and family quite often what their thoughts were on various things. Although it is helpful to ask others what they feel or think, at times it can leave you pondering for too long on what to do. And Lord forbid if everyone has varying opinions, this leaves you in an even more confused state! I now only ask from time to time because at the end of the day it’s my business and my responsibility. Trust when you become comfortable with yourself, nothing or no one can shake you.
Quick Treats
Believe in yourself and your abilities.
Go back to what you’ve done and see where you can improve.
Have a “can do” and positive attitude.
Hang around nice and supportive people.
Stop looking to others for reassurance. Just do you!
#5: Plan and organize your business’ growth
I’m aware of the uncertain times we are all facing, and at times it made me think to myself “perhaps this isn’t for me”- yes I too have the occasional doubt; we all do. So here’s what I’ve realised. If you don’t continue to plan for yourself and your business, things will become unclear along the way. You won’t be able to properly see how to tweak (if needed) your tactics that will help you achieve your goals. You will also find it much harder to adapt to whatever changes and trends because you didn’t have that plan in place beforehand.
Quick Treats
You must chart your business to success. Ask yourself these few and very important questions:
What goals (short term & long term) have I set for myself?
What other parties will be involved throughout the process?
How long do I think this plan will take to complete?
Do I have the required tools to help me complete my plan? If not, what do I need to do to acquire them?
If plan A doesn’t work, what’s plan B?
2. Organization strategies to help with growth for your business:
Create a comfortable workspace or area
Keep on top of your customer’s journey (i.e. satisfaction & experience)
Plan your social media content and marketing campaigns
Manage costs- go digital for items like receipts
Note and track your tasks. Our acrylic board can help you do just that! Click here to start your journey to becoming more organized.
So that’s in a nutshell what I’ve learned for the period of time I’ve been in business. As always, thank you for reading and for your continuous support. I hope this post helps you a great lot and that you were able to take away something.
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Have a great week girls!
Xoxo,
Christal-Ann