Conceiving and giving birth to your child or your business is one and the same thing!
It all starts with being broody:
We know our biological clock is ticking – therefore we need to get the show on the road (you know what I am talking about…).
In business terms it means we know what we want and we are ready to take the appropriate steps!
In order to conceive we need to have ridiculously hot sex- sometimes over and over again!
In order to start our business we need to write an incredible sexy business plan – Sometimes over and over again until we get it right!
It takes nine months until we deliver our baby –
It can take as long as this until our business is ready to open its doors (think building permits, licences, research, qualifications, product development etc). You will experience sleepless nights!
However, most businesses will start without the owner developing stretch marks or water retention!
Giving birth is one crazy, painful procedure!
Opening day of your business shouldn’t be painful! Crazy it surely can be (the soft opening for my coffee shop was c-r-a-z-y-y-y, the official opening was merely crazy)!
Both occasions are reasons for joy, jubilation and tears of happiness!
Here comes the truth: Everybody can give birth to a child! Everybody can start their own business! BUT,
not everybody is capable or raising responsible, loving, caring individuals! Not everybody is able to create a profitable, sustainable business!
Eighteen months ago she gave birth to this beauty:
Ms Mendewo is the first licence holder here in B.C. to operate a Tumblebus!
This fancy yellow mobile is a gym on wheels, suitable for children between the ages of 2-8 years of age.
The idea of a mobile gym is fantastic- the only problem was nobody here in B.C. knew about Trish’s moving, mobile fun mobile!
Just like every mother with her first born Trish did her best to raise her baby. She cared for it, spoiled it, made mistakes, didn’t sleep, got frustrated…she did everything to make her baby stand and walk on its own – aka to get publicity, to make it profitable!
It has been 18 months since Trish drove the bus across the border. Today her baby can walk and talk. In other words, the fun bus is driving in the fast lane of success.
Like all mothers with several children she learned from her first experience. Here are four lessons learned to raise any kind of baby with more ease and finesse:
1). Prioritize right from the beginning!
Know what is important to you and your business. Your business comes first during the all important start-up phase. If you all over the place ask yourself, does all my crazy volunteer work help my business?
2). Look after yourself!
Tackling too many things makes it difficult to look after yourself. Say no more often to non-business related activities. Stick to your exercise regime as much as possible, eat regularly, get sleep!
3). Ask for help!
We all want to learn and figure out how all aspects of our business work. The willingness to learn is a great trait. It can take us hours and hours to figure out some technical aspects of our business. If and when you figure out the solution you own the knowledge. Congratulations! If sleep is of no importance to you this is a wonderful system to apply. If however you swallow your pride and ask for help at an earlier stage you will sleep more, find the solution faster and still own the knowledge.
4). Be generous with your own knowledge! Share and support others as much as you can!
The business world is a very small world; we are all sitting in the same boat. If you are willing to be generous with helping others, the same will happen to you!
Are you a mother of your own children or of your own business? If yes, what lessons have you learned during your start-up phase?
Please share your valuable experiences with all of us- because, when it comes to raising your child or your business, we are all sitting in the same boat!
5). Be careful whom you listen to!
What do babies, dogs and starting out in business have in common?
They are great conversation starters! People in general love to talk about their own experiences and giving advice on any of these three topics!
Regardless of if they are qualified or not- so be careful whom you listen to! Know what you want, what direction you are going and stay on track! Develop selective hearing and only listen to the ones who really have been there and done it when it comes to taking on biz advice!
Have you ever given birth to a business? If yes, what have you learned along the way? Yes, we want to hear your pearls of wisdom!
Please be generous and share- so we don’t have to make the same mistakes…
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