Lessons from 3 years in business
I can’t believe my little social media agency has just turned 3!!
When I launched The Meaningful Social Club, I had just quit my corporate job and was about to find out I was pregnant! So there was a lot going on, but I had big dreams for what I could achieve!
I wasn’t sure exactly what my future in business would bring, but I knew one thing; I wanted to make a different kind of social media agency, one that would put clients at the heart of what we do! One that could make them meaningful, and on trend, content that would really help them grow online.
I could barely dream that 3 years later, the business would have grown to have a small team and be helping dozens of values-led businesses deliver better social media content.
If you're thinking about starting your own business or are already up and running, here are some of the important things that helped me along the way:
Networking is key
Networking is the most important skill you need to learn in order to succeed as a business owner. This is the best way to get new customers and clients, as well as bring in new employees or partners. Networking also helps you stay motivated and feel fulfilled in your work when done right.
There are several types of networking, but I prefer face-to-face interactions because they're more personal. You can always just send a quick email or message on Linkedin instead if you don't have time at hand!
The key here is not so much who you know but how well do they know each other? If you're trying to build an extensive professional network, it's important that all the people on it trust each other so they can refer each other's services/products without hesitation.
Build a team that you can rely on to get things done
It's a good idea to have a team that you can rely on. This way, you can delegate tasks to people who are better at them than you. It also means that you can focus on the things that you are good at, which will make your company more profitable and successful.
It's important to know what your strengths and weaknesses are so that they don't hold back your business in any way. For example, if someone is really good at marketing but not so great with customer service, it might make sense for them to focus on marketing while hiring someone else for customer service duties.
If there is anything holding back the growth of your business (whether it's time or money), it may be helpful to bring somebody else onto the team who can help take care of those issues for you!
Know your competition and avoid the trap of comparing yourself.
When you're just starting out, it can be tempting to compare yourself to your competition. After all, if they're doing something well and you aren't, isn't that a problem?
No. No it is not—and here's why: The best way for you to succeed is to focus on what you do best and ignore everything else.
In other words, don't worry about whether or not your competitors are doing better than you; instead, focus on making sure that your own product/service meets their needs in the best way possible.
You don't have to do everything yourself
There are so many ways to get help. You can outsource tasks that you don't want to do or don't know how to do, hire people from virtual assistant platforms like Fiverr and Upwork, find a mentor or coach who can guide you through the challenges you're facing at your business (or yourself), or use technology like apps that can automate certain processes for free. There is no shortage of tools available if you look hard enough!
Use your downtime wisely
While you're waiting for your next big business idea to come along, there are loads of ways you can keep your mind active, even if you don't have time to commit to a new project in the short-term.
One way is by reading and learning new things. A good book on business strategy or self-help can give you inspiration and insight into how other people think about their businesses. You can also learn about other industries by reading news articles on topics like marketing trends, customer service best practices and technological innovations that might affect your industry as well as others.
The next thing I recommend doing during downtime is staying in touch with friends and family—people who know what's important to you outside of work so that they'll be able to encourage (and challenge) your growth as an entrepreneur over time. It's also important not only because it helps us stay sane but also because it keeps us grounded in reality: knowing what matters most in life helps make those things more attainable when we get back into action!
Finally, try getting some good sleep! Studies show that lack of sleep leads directly into bad decision making which then feeds right back into lack of productivity; the opposite is true too: getting enough restful zzzzs gives our brains space for creativity without feeling overwhelmed by stressors like deadlines or looming deadlines."
Develop a small business strategy and implement it regularly if you want to be successful.
Develop a small business strategy and implement it regularly if you want to be successful.
Planning your business is the first step, but not the last. By planning, I mean developing a strategy that includes your goals, vision and mission statements and then implementing them regularly. It's easy to get overwhelmed by all the things you need to do and how much work there is left to do on your business plan, but without this foundation in place, it's unlikely that you'll do any of those tasks effectively or efficiently. Even if you love what you're doing, sometimes we forget why we started out on our entrepreneurial journey in the first place—and if we don't keep reminding ourselves each day (or at least once per week), it's easy for us as entrepreneurs to lose sight of our true purpose! And if something feels like drudgery instead of fun or joyful? That's usually an indicator that something needs adjusting somewhere along the line.
Conclusion
These are just a few tips to get you started. There’s nothing that says you have to do everything at once, but making even small changes can make a big difference over time. If you want to be successful in business, it all starts with strategy—and I hope these lessons will help!