Starting your own business can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it can also be challenging. There are a lot of things to learn along the way, and it’s not always easy to figure everything out on your own. So, this is where I share my learnings in the years since starting #GameChanger.
In this blog post, I’ll share some of the things I wish that I had known (or that others had told me!) before starting #GameChanger, plus some valuable lessons learned from my network. I hope that this information will help you as you embark on your own entrepreneurial journey!
Everything starts with Marketing.
One of the biggest things I wish I had known was how important marketing is. Coming from a background with the backing of a household name with established brand recognition, budgets and marketing systems and processes is very different to starting out on your own.
Whilst I had a background in marketing and sales, I quickly realised that marketing, particularly in the fast flowing world of social, was something that I needed to learn more about.
If you’re not good at marketing, make sure to budget for someone who is, or invest in training to learn more about what will work for you. It will be worth it in the long run!
But you don’t need a Funnel (yet)….
Do not listen to the web experts, fans of certain online business gurus and others that want to tell you that you need a fancy funnel and CRM and then probably try to sell you just that. In the early days, meeting people, word of mouth, networking and speaking weremy most cost effective methods of marketing. As well as building a solid repuration for delivery with your clients. Never have I ever had funnel (yet)!
Invest Time and Money in your Personal Brand.
When I say invest time, the best time you can spend is on getting absolutely clear and precise on your values and your vision. Your values are what you stand for and should be recognisable from your brand, your copy, your images.
· Who do you want to help?
· How do you want to serve?
· How do you like to communicate?
If you are informal, then embrace that. Don’t be something you are not. I’m often told I can be “too corporate” by people that don’t get what I do – I’m very much not corporate, but what I do embrace is high standards and learning from larger companies that have been successful.
For those that find me too corporate, that’s perfectly OK as they are not my ideal clients. They’ll find a better fit for them.
I won’t compromise on the integrity of my brand voice to attract the wrong client. Personal brand is above all being authentic and staying true to your core, whether you are a shark or a minnow.
Investing the money is about working out when you invest in the logo, the photoshoot, the sponsorship package,based on where you are and the ROI (return on investment) it will bring for
you. I encourage my clients to take an emergent planning approach with this : If you reach “X” revenue, you invest 20% back into the brand development.
Set Targets and Make a Budget
I have a strong track record of running P&Ls, budgeting and financial planning. This is another area where it’s helpful to have someone with experience on your team, or at least part-time on retainer. They can help you set targets,make sure you know your numbers and make sure that you are staying on track and not overspending on the wrong things.
Treat every business expense as an investment – what will it pay back? Is it a spend that will reward you for years to come?
Learn to love coffee and a chat…
There are some entrepreneurs that refuse coffee on the basis they don’t want to give a free consultancy session.
I hear them. They’re equally likely to quote “Time is Money” in the style of Gordon Gekko. That’s not us!
If we can be disciplined, we can share a short time with someone to build connection, understand potential for collaboration and build community. To me, community matters as an entreprenuer, because every day, we are faced with responsibility and decisions to overcome. So I do offer the opportunity to “Say Hello” to those new to my network or looking to reconnect.
Finally, one of the most important things that I’ve learned is to always be learning.
