In our current economic climate the chances of finding a job doing exactly what you are trained to do, or would like to do, can at times seem impossible. The market is competitive, wages are decreasing and quite often the battle to find the ideal position leaves you feeling deflated and pessimistic.
However, in my opinion it is not all doom and gloom!!
I believe that if you have a marketable skill, and you feel that you are disciplined enough to work from home (to keep your overhead low) you may just be able to create your dream job by going out on your own.
That’s what I did. Now I have 3 employees, 65 clients and enough work to keep me strapped to my computer even while on holiday! (Not that I am complaining)
Don’t get me wrong, starting your own business is not an easy solution but thankfully we are lucky enough to live in a country where the growth and development of small business is encouraged, making it a viable option.
So now that this blog post (which was Item number 433 on my to-do list) has compelled you to take the plunge towards self-employment, the next question I should answer is:
‘What do you actually need to do to get started?’
Here are Teya’s top 3 tips (say that 5 times fast)
- Get some memorable business cards printed (I recommend a thick card stock with rounded edges)
- Perfect your elevator pitch (describe what you do and your competitive advantage in 30s – 1 min)
- START NETWORKING.
How to grow your idea into a business
- Make sure you tell all your friends and family what you are doing because they will be your first clients.
- Be persistent and don’t give up hope.
- When you get your first client, WOW them.
- Don’t forget to ask for referrals.
- Talk about your business (even if it isn’t really a business yet!) to EVERYONE you meet. You never know who can give you a huge break.
The best advice I received was from a local successful entrepreneur and Author, Steve Jagger. He suggests that as a new entrepreneur you should always ACT AS IF… you have a hugely successful company even if you are just starting and have no clients.
If you are confident no one will know the difference.
I will never forget the first networking event I went to, I was SUPER nervous and desperately wanted to make a lasting first impression.
I later discovered (through friendships that had formed as a result of my attendance to that event) that I had convinced everyone there that I was very experienced and had a viable company. The actual fact was that I had printed business cards from my computer the night before, and didn’t even have a single client.
I really do believe that the possibilities for success are endless. So long as you are prepared to work hard.
