It’s time to celebrate! 5 years ago today, this company was launched! In a world where 80% of small businesses fail in the first 18 months, I am very blessed to be celebrating our 5 year anniversary.
What have I learned over the last five years? A LOT!!!
- Running your own business is more work than you can ever imagine! Small business owners and entrepreneurs wear every hat possible… worker bee, marketing manager, sales manager, human resources manager, CEO, accountant, tech support and more. When you are first starting out and you don’t have the funds to outsource, being a small business owner can be exhausting! Yet I wouldn’t change it for the world. I know that this business was “cut from the cloth” and I have built it into what is has become.
- Communication is essential. Every business person hears this but it is absolutely true! Especially in a business where you work virtually, such as mine, communication can make a business thrive while lack of communication can kill it in an instant. Whether it is giving project updates to keep a client informed or listening to a client so their viewpoint can be heard, communication is key.
- Be flexible and believe in yourself. If you had told me 5 years ago that I would be designing websites and strategizing and implementing online marketing plans in Infusionsoft, I would have told you that you were crazy. When I started this business, I was terrified that I would be overcharging people by asking them for $15/hour to do data entry. It wasn’t until I started opening myself up to new project that were more complex and charging what I was worth that this business began to thrive. The company name changed as well, as the business evolved. Believe in yourself every day… and be open to the fact that your business plan can – and possibly should – change.
- Relationships matter. The biggest blessing of the last 5 years is the relationships – and even the friendships – that I have made. My clients are all over North America, from New York to California and the relationships I have with them is what has made my business successful. Many of them have become friends and even those who are still in the “business acquaintance” category are people I have formed a distinct partnership with. These relationships are what have made my business successful – even beyond any financial gain – and I thank each and every one of them for that.
It’s been an amazing journey! I can’t wait to see where the next 5 years take us. I have been privileged in bringing on some outsourced help this year and I am looking forward to this company continuing to grow and thrive. Thanks to all of you who have been part of this journey… I couldn’t have done it without you.