I find myself working best in a comfortable mindset. If I plug in my tunes, crank open 10 tabs in my browser… I can bust out multiple strategies, graphic designs and keep the emails under control. What takes the most of my day – is the new biz phone calls / consulting. I find that I should qualify their business first before I start the consulting or proposal process. I have to really LOVE what the brand is, what their products / services are and how I can benefit from their business.
6 Things You Should Know About Entrepreneurship
- Long Hours / of not getting paid.. because you love what you do and willing to go the extra mile to make your dreams come true
- Learning / spending hours online to understand the trends in your industry. Taking time to figure out how to fix the solution before giving up or passing to another person. Learning is my favorite part because I adapt to new skills and troubleshoot
- Connections / you have to be comfortable with putting yourself out there to make new relationships. Reach out to companies / brands online if you like what you see. Build those connections and partnerships so you can constantly grow
- Time Management / there is never enough time in the day. Sometimes you have to learn to say no because you don’t have the bandwidth to do it. I slim down the small business so I can focus on the big business who have a better budget to be more creative.
- Networking / again, this goes back to connections. I attend 2 or more networking events in Detroit to establish a presence with my peers. I participate in multiple “twitter chats” which are when users participate in a discussion by using a hashtag at certain times of the week
- Attitude / believe in your work, what you do and have a positive attitude about everything. There may be times when you have disagreements with clients but you have to put your best foot forward and not burn a bridge. The industry is so small that you never know who they may know. Stay positive & motivated… your driven personality is what we inspire people and draw them to work for you.
Those are 6 basic things in a nutshell that it takes to be an entrepreneur. I have not mastered this art; but I’ve grown my brand and business by staying focused on what I love — which is my social media business.
I started this hustle when I was a junior in High School – I knew this industry was something I’ve always wanted to be apart of. You have to pay your dues, go through the up’s and down’s and sacrifice a lot to make it worth your while. You may be forced to sacrifice long hours.. working late evenings and doing things that you don’t necessary enjoy.. the outcome is way more worth it in the end.
There will be times when you are living dollar to dollar – but if you see the light at the end of the tunnel… it will happen. It is important to have a positive attitude the entire way because your confidence is what will draw people to work with you.
I feel like I am finally getting a grasp of who I am.. and what my business means to me. I hope that others can follow.
Cheers, Mel
