How To Thrive As A New Entrepreneur

how to thrive as a new entrepreneur

Being an entrepreneur is a rewarding career and a job that will certainly keep you challenged over the years. The reality is that there are no promises that your business will succeed and that your products or services will continue to sell and make you money down the road.

It’s up to you to keep yourself and your company on track for thriving well into the future years. As a new business owner, it’s likely you’re going to have a lot of questions and maybe even a little bit of self-doubt. However, you must be able to stay focused on what you can do to continue to increase your sales, as well as grow your business even in the face of adversity and uncertainty.

Always Be Learning & Improving

As a new entrepreneur, it’s important that you work on building up your skill set and are always taking in new knowledge. You’re going to have to know how to read and analyze data instead of making assumptions or guesses about what’s working or not with your business approach. Becoming an expert and well-rounded with your business skills is going to help you succeed in the long-term. Commit to participating in professional development activities and educating yourself on matters that are important to your company reaching new levels of success such as finance, market research and statistics.

Make Your Customers A Priority

Another piece of advice to help you thrive as an entrepreneur is to always make your customers a priority, no matter how busy you get. Focus on delivering excellent customer service and solving any issues or problems that are brought to your attention by your clients promptly and fairly. Reach out and ask for customer feedback regularly so that you can gauge how you’re performing and then make any necessary adjustments to your policies and procedures going forward. Put your customers first above all else, and you’ll soon begin to see that your business goals better align with what your customers want, and this way everyone is happy.

Start Your Day Right

Walking into the office with a busy mind and getting distracted right away will make your job more difficult. As a new entrepreneur, you’re going to have many roles and responsibilities, but you must know how to effectively manage them all without becoming overwhelmed. It starts with you being able to remain in control and keep yourself focused on the task in front of you. Consider getting in a routine that will have you starting each day off right such as working out, meditating or making a daily to-do list, prior to jumping in to tackle your workload. You’re going to have a much better day ahead of you when you feel energized and have taken the proper steps to lift your mood and create a positive outlook.

Reflect On Your Vision & Goals Regularly

It’s important as a new entrepreneur that you keep the big picture in mind as you go about your days. You’ll be more likely to thrive in your role when you take time to reflect on your vision and goals regularly. Be sure to set aside some time to think about the path you’re on and where you want to head next with your business. Sometimes the answers you’re looking for come to you when you’re silent enough to listen and are least expecting it. Review your business plan frequently, and make sure you’re on the right track to hitting your goals and numbers. If you’re not, don’t be afraid to make changes and modifications based on the facts and figures.

Work With A Mentor

You can also thrive as a new entrepreneur when you admit to what you don’t know and let others in to help guide you along the way. Find a mentor who you look up to and trust and can offer input as to how you’re doing when it comes to running your own business. It’s important that you don’t allow your ego to get in your way of you finding success. You need to know how and when to reach out and ask for help from others. Although you’re the boss, it doesn’t mean you have to know it all or do all the work yourself. There are people who’ve been in your shoes before and have the skill set and knowledge to assist you when you need it. Sometimes all you have to do is ask and be open to listening to opinions and suggestions from external sources.

Know How To Manage Your Emotions

As a business owner, you’re going to have good days and bad days. To be successful and thrive in your role, you should know how to properly manage your emotions in the workplace. Letting them get the better of you may cause you to take actions or say words you’ll later regret. While it’s okay to get excited and upset once in a while, you have to know how to remain in control of your feelings and sentiments.

Take care of yourself in your downtime and have healthy ways to manage your stress such as meditating or writing in a journal. You’re going to have clients and employees who may push your buttons some days, but you simply can’t let your emotions take over in the heat of the moment. Know how to maintain your cool and use logic to help you problem-solve and find resolutions to the issues at hand, instead of getting worked up and visibly frustrated.

Hire Wisely

Make your job as a new business owner easier and more pleasant by being wise about who you hire and bring on your team. It’s good practice to go through the motions of creating job descriptions and holding interviews so you can pick the right person for the job. Create and communicate company guidelines, policies, and best practices so you can formulate a strong and desirable company culture. Hiring mistakes can be costly to your business and reputation and will cause inevitable setbacks as you try to reach your goals, so be sure to take your time in the recruitment process.

Be Active In The Business Community

You have to be willing to put yourself out there and in the public eye when working as an entrepreneur. Your job as the person in charge is to be the face of the company, so you can attract new business and get the word out about what it is you do. Be active in the business community by attending networking events, speaking at conferences, and volunteering your time with charities that are meaningful to you.

It’s also important that you keep an open conversation going with your customers or clients. Provide good service by choosing to meet with them face-to-face and finding out more about how they view your business and what they like or dislike about working with you.

Adopt A Positive Attitude

One tip that seems simple but is critical to you experiencing success is adopting a positive attitude. The truth is your job will be difficult at times and you’re not always going to meet your objectives in a timely fashion. These realities can be hard to face, and they may start to take a toll on your mental health. However, if you want to thrive as an entrepreneur and be a good boss, then you will need to find a way to stay level-headed and optimistic, even when you experience downfalls or obstacles. Others are going to be looking to you for guidance and answers so it’s crucial that you are prepared to respond in a professional and encouraging manner.

Accept Failure As Part Of The Job

Unfortunately, your business is likely to experience rough waters every so often, or maybe even fail one day. It’s the nature of what you do and the field you work in. You can thrive in your new role by accepting that failure is part of the job and coming to terms with this actually is what will ultimately make you a better leader. Admit your mistakes, and then move on and make wiser choices when you’re faced with a similar situation in the future.

You can’t let these errors in judgment, or your lack of experience get in the way of you turning your business into a greater success. Have confidence in yourself and your abilities and find ways to pick yourself up quickly when you stumble. Anticipate and address pain points or issues early on so they don’t turn into larger problems as time goes on. Consider the idea that many entrepreneurs have several businesses fail before finding the one that strikes it big. Take calculated risks that fuel growth and development in yourself and others, but don’t be too hard on yourself if the ideas you have don’t pan out according to plan the first time around.

About Brian: Brian Jackson is the founder of Shoestring Branding - a marketing and branding blog for entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on internet-based tools and strategies.