New entrepreneur, congratulations on your new business. Being an “entrepreneur” is more than a title. Starting a new business as a new entrepreneur takes a serious and steady combination of hard work, focus, dedication, and solid ethics if you want to be successful. About ten years ago, I cut the cord and walked away from my day job. Along the way, I have learned real-life lessons that only experience can teach.
These are just a few of the many “real-life” tips that can help you get ready you for your journey as a new entrepreneur:
#1 – Everyone will NOT be excited about your business or idea, and that’s okay.
Ultimately, the only one who believes in your idea as much as you… is you. Do not look for confirmation or affirmation from others. Not even your family, spouse, or closest friends. If you are bursting with excitement around a new idea and you ask someone you love for their thoughts, most times they won’t be nearly as excited as you are. They may even share negative thoughts instead of positive ones. This can deflate your energy, change your mood, and may even tempt you to quit. So as a new entrepreneur, don’t look for confirmation or affirmation from others in order to keep you going. Just keep going and keep moving forward. Remember, your ideas are YOUR brain child that YOU spend every waking moment obsessing about. Your loved ones don’t obsess about being a new entrepreneur the same way you do. At this point, they may not be able see the big picture as clearly as you can.
#2 – Prepare to get a little less sleep, but remember to get your rest.
A new entrepreneur will inevitably sleep less. Your time will be spent planning, preparing, working, and simply thinking about your new business. You may even find that you spend marathon days and nights getting your business off the ground. This vigorous sleepless pace is normal in the beginning for a new entrepreneur but be aware that if you keep going non-stop, you will run out of gas. Rest is as important as work. A rested body and mind is able to produce better and faster results.
# 3 – Keep an “old-school” notebook and calendar at all times.
I love gadgets and electronic devices as much as the next guy, but nothing beats pen and paper. As a new entrepreneur, please do not, I repeat, PLEASE DO NOT keep all of your important notes and calendar items in electronic form. A new entrepreneur should always keep a small spiral notebook and an old-school calendar to jot down important thoughts, dates, numbers, notes, and meetings – even if the notebook and calendar are used as a backup to your device. This is VERY important. At any time an electronic device can fail, and at some point, they always do. If you have a pen-and-paper record of what is going on in the business and your device crashes, your business will not crash with it. You can continue with your daily activities until you get your device repaired, replaced, or restored.
#4 – Don’t stop moving forward.
As a new entrepreneur, there will be delightful days where everything is working out perfectly for your new business. There will also be overwhelming days that make you feel like giving up. This happens with every new entrepreneur. When you feel like giving up because you are so overwhelmed, stop what you are doing. Take a deep breath and if you need to – walk away. You may need to walk away for a few minutes, a few hours, or even a few days. But once you are rested and your head is clear, always come back to your business. When you do, you will have a renewed energy. This new energy will help you regain focus, solve problems, and complete overwhelming tasks that will allow you to continue to move forward.
#5 – Go ahead and follow the rules.
Doing things “by the book” is much easier than breaking the rules. All businesses have to follow certain rules and regulations. So new entrepreneur, just go ahead and follow them. It takes less energy to do things the right way than it does to do them the wrong way. When you are being sneaky, underhanded, or unethical, you spend more energy and lose more sleep trying not to get caught. They say “what goes around, comes around” so just do things right the first time. Go ahead and follow the rules.
#6 – Always treat customers well.
Remember, your customers pay your salary. When you treat them well, they will continue to support your business. As a new entrepreneur, you are not doing customers a favor by being in business. They are doing you a favor by supporting it. Give customers a quality product or service that keeps them coming back. They will tell a friend who will then become a customer too.
Being a new entrepreneur is exciting. It can lead to a great career if you start off right. Follow these new entrepreneur tips and you will be well on your way to building the solid foundation your business needs to thrive.