Being your own boss sounds pretty appealing doesn't it?
You set your own hours, choose who you want to work with, make your own decisions and get to do things your way.
No office politics, no manager looking over your shoulder and no asking for permissions to take the day off.
But here's the reality nobody thinks about: When you're a entrepreneur, you're not just doing the job you started your business to do. You're also the accounts department, the admin team, the marketing manager, the customer service desk, sometimes the website manager and the person responsible for keeping it all running smoothly.
And then there's the financial side of things. Business overheads, software subscriptions, insurance, bills, keeping an eye on the cash flow, balancing the books and making sure there's enough set aside to pay the tax man.
Because being your own boss also means being responsible for everything about the business. You wear all the hats. And then there's the reality of finding and keeping customers by offering value, building trust & having good communication and reputation.
What I've Learned
Of all the things I've learned from running an Australian small service-based business, is that working hard on a business doesn't simply generate more business or equate to overnight success.
Of course, having grit, resilience and the determination to keep going are important. But there's much more to running a sustainable business than simply putting in the hours. I'm constantly learning my craft, updating my skills, keeping up with changes in technology, WordPress, themes, plugins, and the ever-evolving online landscape. (E.g., Elegant Themes rolled out Divi 5, meaning I had to learn to design websites with a new platform). It's all part of staying relevant, improving what I do and containing to bring value to my clients.
When I first started out, I had a laptop and a spreadsheet. That was pretty much my business toolkit!
Today, I 'm making much better use of technology to streamline processes, create and organise projects, reduce repetitive tasks and make managing my services more efficient.
For me, working smarter, not harder, is about continually improving, being open to change, getting organised where it matters and making sure I'm spending my time with what brings the most value to the table. But I'm also being proactive and mindful to better manage my health, which takes courage, raw honesty and self-reflection.
Working hard helps your business. Working strategically helps you sustain it.
- Organisation - Having systems, tools, resources and processes that make every day business easier.
- Priorities - Knowing where your time and energy are best spent.
- Boundaries - Understanding that being a business owner doesn't mean that you're available 24/7 or need to be working all the time.
If you're thinking about being your own boss; I hope you're not just earning to run a better business; you're learning to build one that allows you to have a life outside it too.
Sandra Ciminelli
Canberra-based WordPress Freelancer
