Without question, the biggest obstacle to new business progress is overcoming the lack of confidence.
Who can blame us? I hear you say.
After all, these past few years have been tough for many, especially those working for themselves … by themselves. Navigating an uncertain, fast-changing business landscape calls for a special kind of fortitude.
Would you be surprised when I suggest the lack of faith in one’s ability to find the confidence, and courage to step up and seek help is more common than one might think?
No, I didn’t think so.
Sure, there are some with an abundant number of clients, with a depth of staff. Maybe they have a strong reputation and so are cash-rich. Perhaps they’re content, never worked on the business, they’re happy with the existing status quo and aren’t in a position to be looking for new clients.
The successful, well-established business have their own set of challenges to address. Staffing, client support, cash flow and reputation management to name one or two.
Challenges similar to the start-up but on a different scale …
No matter what industry we’re in or where our careers take us, we all face obstacles at some point and are challenged to address them.
Some see failure to follow up as being a sign of weakness.
I’m not so sure, simply because we’re all very different humans. It’s what makes us special. Sure, the failure to address the challenging situation can hold back progress. Deliberation often brings doubt. This often delays progress but rarely stops us.
As a small business, I’ve been happily in charge of my destiny for two decades now. I’m always questioning (yes, even talking to myself) and assessing where my offer fits, what I need to do to recognise the signs of business success, however large or small these may be.
This inner deliberation may be a hint I’m on the right path. We’re always working on ‘it’ aren’t we? We’re all so different.
So how do we overcome this most fundamental qualification (the qualification of worth) once we’ve decided to step out and offer the world our speciality?
My decision to step out all those years back was driven by the need to follow a different path. The reasons were partially financial due to lifestyle change, but most importantly because I could see I had something of value that I needed to share.
I could recognise my own journey in the clients I worked with (different skin, face, same soul) simply by listening and reaching out, offering support when required. Sharing skills, developing relationships and trust.
My suggestion as per the next step? Step out, step up and offer help, you never know where this may lead you.
CharlieKenny.me 