DAY 12
KNOW YOURSELF AMIDST STARTING SOMETHING NEW By Ryan Bailey Counseling Core’s founder and principal counselor, professional coach, speaker, and group facilitator. @counselingcore
H
ow do I stay true to me in the midst of my business venture?
IS YOUR BUSINESS YOU?
Starting your own business is one of the most deeply personal things you will do, and rightfully so. After all, it’s your idea, your resources and your precious time at stake. Did I mention blood, sweat and tears? It makes sense then, that the business should reflect capital “Y”: You. You is that unique set of strengths, values, beliefs, drive and energy that are exclusively yours. Having coached entrepreneurs for more than 23 years, I would go so far as to say that your success is directly tied to whether or not YOU is woven throughout the fabric of your business. WHO YOU ARE Before knowing whether or not your business plays to your strengths, you’ve got to know what those strengths are. You’ve got to find out who you are. Ask yourself, family and close friends: • What do I do better than most? • What was true of me when I was five years old that is true of me today? • What about me stands out?
50
So you’re clear on the who. How about the what? As in, what is your business idea, and is there any part of YOU in it? My advice to entrepreneurs is always to proceed with extreme caution if their business idea does not align with who they are. STAYING TRUE TO YOU Having established who you are, you can work on maintaining your sense of self in everyday operations. One of the greatest mistakes I see entrepreneurs making is that they think that they’ve got to do everything really well. The reality is that we’re just not good at everything. And just as important as knowing who you are, is knowing who you are not. Within your company – even if it’s just you – focus on taking care of the business that you do with excellence, and apply the four D’s to the rest: Delete, Delegate, Delay, Diminish. If it is just you in the company, outsourcing work to contractors or hiring interns are two options that can save you time and sanity. Staying true to yourself in the midst of growing a business means knowing what you do well and building a team or strategic partnerships that support your weak areas so that, in essence, there aren’t any.
From Clouds To Concrete
