SMALL BUSINESS BLOG

Occasionally, I reflect on the gap between what I didn't know when I started out and what I know now and think about how much easier some of the lessons would have been if I knew a thing or two. This is one of those times of reflection since Marlaina asked me to write something you might get some value from. 

There are the obvious things I wish I had known. Things like: 

• I didn't have to be busy all the time to succeed. Looking busy for other people is very performative. And very exhausting.  The calmness of efficiency, how I feel and a job well done are signs of success.
• Or that testing how solid the foundations and systems of your business are before scaling is probably a really good idea so you don't find yourself working backwards to move forwards. This really does result in working harder not smarter.
• If your accountant doesn't return your calls for 6 months, it's probably time to find a new accountant.
• It's really expensive to have a good accountant fix a bad accountants work.
• Having your books in order and up to date is worth every annoying receipt upload.
• If you really hate doing your own bookkeeping, then outsource it to someone who loves what they do and does it well.
• It would have been really great to realise that burnout is what happens after you ignore all the signs that lead up to it. 
• It would also have been helpful to know that no one has it all figured out and ultimately, outsourcing your decisions to other people or copying what you see everyone else doing only ends in misdirection. 

The beautiful and messy maze of running a small business can be exciting and frustrating, exhilarating and lonely, you can have the jump-out-of-bed feeling one day and a-hide-me-away-from-the-world day the next. You might be rolling in cash one month and freaking out about it four weeks later.

While there will always be polarity with everything in life, running your business doesn't have to be 'ugh'. It can be as simple as being really good at reframing things and being radically honest with yourself. 

A bit about Mellanie...

Mellanie is in the business of being human. With all it’s fears, flaws and imperfections. Embracing getting it wrong, and getting it right. Saying it how it is and doing better when she knows better. It’s what she wishes she had when she was growing up, when she was studying, when she embarked on her career, when she started a business and when she faced life’s ever-present gifts and challenges.

What if more people around us, around our young people and in education and business were being more human and letting go of the expectations of what we think other people think we should do?

Tackling real life without the BS with a special interest in meaningful and profitable business, growing confident and equipping people with the tools they need to pull out and live up to their potential!

Follow Mellanie on Instagram - coachmellshaylor