Welcome to December!
The last month of the year is finally here. Good-bye 2015, it is almost complete! Saying good-bye to another year can be stressful. Let’s face it—it is time to face reality and the reality may not be that good-looking. You didn’t do the things you wanted to do for your business and you could be suffering from the entrepreneurial blues. Nowadays, social media doesn’t help as we see the glam and success of other people winning and accomplishing so much throughout the year. Yet, we may be stuck in one place. I am here to tell you that you are winning. By deciding that you want to become an entrepreneur and putting your first foot forward is a big step. A step that some people are not fortunate enough to accomplish. So kudos to you for taking the first step to being a #boss.
Secondly, it is okay that you are not where you said you would be by this time.
Patience is a virtue.
Everything happens for a reason and happens at its own pace. Until recently, I used to beat myself up constantly about being too slow, not doing enough, and put pressure on myself to do things for my business that just needed to happen in their own good time. Now, I still set goals for my business and have accomplishments I want to complete but I pace myself and let things happen naturally instead of forcing them.
So, my entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs, here are some words of advice on how to get and stay motivated through the holidays and into the New Year.
Nothing is easy.
Good-bye food, good-bye calling in sick, good-bye to the luxury life of a 9–5 job. People think having a regular full-time job is hard. Ha! that is nothing compared to running a business. With a 9–5 when you leave the office you can leave your workload on your desk and say good-bye to it for the night or the weekend. With your own company the mental stress of your business affairs follows you—to bed, into the shower, throughout the weekend, on vacation—everywhere you go, your company is there. A constant reminder embedded in your brain that you should be doing more to make more happen.
Be open-minded.
I am going to keep it 125 percent real here. Nothing you put on your pretty paper and plan out in your perfectly detailed business proposal will happen. Sorry! It just won’t work out the way you plan it. And it is not supposed to. Each person and each business is different. The journey to being an entrepreneur is a difficult one and requires patience and the will to get back up when things fall short. There will be setbacks, delays, dead ends, but the key is to take them as a lesson learned and keep pushing forward.
You are more than a pretty face . . . but don’t get it twisted because you will wear many hats.
Boys, men, self-centered jerks. . . whatever you call them, they will try to test you. It is in their nature. You wear a dress, lipstick, and smell good; they feel this is an open invitation to ask you to dinner. Don’t allow it; do not get distracted or tempted—keep your eyes on the prize. You want to be perceived as professional and the #girlboss that you are. If you don’t already have your babe, have a little fun (outside of business), but don’t get blindsided. Your business is your needy mate; and it requires a lot of your attention.
Side note: Now, being the pretty woman you are, you will still need to get your hands dirty. In the beginning, you won’t have an assistant, accountant, secretary, IT, HR, etc. You will have to be it all and do it all. Be prepared to do everything from business development to marketing to business operations.
Beyoncé didn’t become a pop icon overnight. Oprah didn’t become a billionaire overnight.
Neither will you. Be prepared to put in the blood, sweat, and tears. Even with fame and fortune, you have to do things you don’t want to do. Train hard. Be consistent. Take risks. Never be afraid to stand up for your business and what you believe in.
Nothing will ever be more rewarding.
Like buying your first car or your first home, nothing can amount to the feeling you have when you are running a business. You did it! Despite all the odds against you, you made it happen! You can scream it from the highest mountain. And you best believe you are going to work your ass off to keep it going!