Words of wisdom about building a business you love
I have rarely agreed with any advice for people building business more than I do with a piece by Catherine Watkin (available on her website here)
She navigates many of the pitfalls of starting the kind of business that will serve them well with her 3 Secrets:
understand that there are different stages in building a business: at each stage you can feel like you are failing (and want to give up) whereas actually you are bang on course, and just experiencing the growing pains associated with the stage you are at. Understanding this can help you keep going (and maybe get through it a bit quicker) NB the early stages are the hardest!
making marketing work is NOT about doing more (whatever the experts / books / your mum tells you). It’s about being ‘sticky’. You’ll have to read her guide to get her full (and brilliant) explanation but it’s reassuring to know that she says “it’s important to choose marketing strategies that feel fun…” I absolutely agree with this - and you don’t find many people saying it - let alone practicing it.
choose the right business model. This is another fundamental that I think doesn’t get talked about enough. The way your business runs and feels for you as the business owner will be very different depending on what business model you are using (ie how you make your money). All business models CAN work …. so why not choose one that puts you in a role you actually enjoy? I have learnt this by accident really - I took on developing Harland Works when I had 3 small kids at home and the hours were brilliantly adaptable to school timetables. I have been so grateful to have this business through the years when my kids have been at school. But it was a lucky accident really, rather than an intentional strategy.
For more wise advice on building a business you’ll love to run, I recommend having a read of Catherine’s guide.