It was perhaps a year or so ago when I heard someone talk about how you have to be willing to give yourself what you give to others. The talk was being given in terms of a small business owner giving to themselves (as the owner) what they were willing to give to an employer (as an employee).
As small business owners, we are often the President/CEO, Sales Manager, Sales, Marketing, Administrative Assistant, and everything in between. We wear many hats and we must be able to juggle them well. Until we have the revenue to hire people to fill some of those roles … we must fill them all. Some elect to stay small and continue to operate in all capacities of the business. Either choice can work, as long as you can fulfill the necessities of effectively building and running your business.
As an employee, we have quotas to meet. We have calls to make. Presentations to prepare. We have deadlines. And typically, we will do whatever needs to be done to meet those requirements and those deadlines. If we don’t, we usually have someone to answer to. As small business owners, we don’t have anyone looking over our shoulder, so we have to hold ourselves accountable for doing whatever needs to be done for our business … no matter what. Because guess what? If we don’t do them, there isn’t anyone else to do those things for us. And, of course, our business suffers because of it.
So, whether you are a small business owner or are thinking about becoming a small business owner, be prepared to do whatever it takes to build your business. If you were willing to work late as an employee, be willing to work late for yourself. If you make 30 calls per day for your employer, be ready to do that for yourself. The list could go on and on. Just be sure the things you do that make you a model employee are also things that you do for yourself as a business owner.
Do you have what it takes? And are you willing to do everything that is needed to successfully build your business?