Making The Transition From Employee To Business Owner
by Camille Strate
I am a business owner. And one part of my business is to share this
fabulous opportunity with like-minded people; those who are tired of the
grind, tired of doing all the work while someone else reaps the
(financial) rewards, and tired of not being in control of their lives.
It's a great business and something I truly love doing. But it wasn't
the easiest transition for me, as well as for many others who've joined
me in this fulfilling, rewarding and lucrative endeavor.
To that end, I thought it might be a good time to address this issue,
and perhaps, save others from this often overlooked piece of the puzzle.
That is, the transition from working for someone else to working for
your self. Yes, it's worth the risk, and it can be a little scary
sometimes, but the bottom line is that there's nothing like taking the
ol' bull by the horns and watching what happens to your life!
For some, the tricky part is to actually see youself as the boss. To
stop tryinig to please whomever it is you once worked for, and be the
one who you're pleasing. To go from that employee mentality is to start
each day with the confidence that whatever you choose to do today is
going to be the right thing to improve your business, to expand your
knowledge and to make a difference in the lives of your customers,
regardless of the type of business you're in. So, how does one
accomplish this?
I've found it helpful to apply a few basic principles and to adhere to
those principles without fail. Each and every day, after I enjoy the
leisurely mornings that are now part of my routine, I set time aside to
write. I get out my journal and write about what my day is going to look
like. I give this great attention and note the details as if I were
literally seeing them happen. In other words, I visualize what the day
will bring. This has enormous benefit. First, it puts me in the mindset
of being in control of my business. No one else is going to determine
what I'll do today, or how I'm going to do it. Only me. And that leads
to a very subliminal shift in my perspective. It quietly sends a message
to my subconscious that I am the one who's "in charge" of what happens.
And, without any outside distractions, it's pretty easy to focus on
whatever it is that I've scheduled to accomplish for that particular
day. It's really pretty astonishing to see how much you can get done in
such a short period of time. It's a matter of working smarter, not
harder. (This is why people who run home-based businesses work so much
less and make so much more. No burnout!)
The next thing I do is to set a course for just what needs attending and
then prioritizing those tasks. Whether I'll be making phone calls or
setting up a new ad campaign or attending to someone from a previous
query, I will set those things in order of importance in my little daily
planner. I'm one of those people who gets a sense of satisfaction when I
can cross things off my "To Do" list. Just makes me feel good. It also
serves to build confidence in yourself as 'the boss' because you've done
what you set out to do. The more confidence you gain, the better you
get at everything you do. It just goes with the territory.
Another very important part of my day is taking time to mastermind with
other people who are in a similar situation. If you've ever read "Think
And Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill (or any other book written by masters of
business ownership), you'd know that masterminding is one heck of a
tool. It creates a forum in which you can not only learn from others,
but teach as well. You'd be amazed at how much it will enhance your
business. There's a reason why we always hear that adage "surround
yourself with like-minded people". Very successful people from all types
of businesses, from Henry Ford to Donald Trump, have done this. You
don't have to know everything about everything. All you have to know is
that there are people out there who know something about what you DON'T
and they're more than willing to share that knowledge with you, if you
will just ask. Bill Gates will attest to this, as this is precisely how
he got where he is today. Masterminding!
Finally, and perhaps the most important thing of all, is to be
consistent in your actions and persistent in your focus. Don't let
anything or anyone stop your from doing what you're doing. It's really
easy to get distracted by friends or family members who think that just
because you work for yourself, particularly if you work from home, that
you have all the time in the world for them to just stop by or phone and
chat your day away. This is NOT how to run your business. You need to
make it clear to yourself and to those around you that this is a
BUSINESS and it's YOUR resposibility to see to it that it runs well.
Anyone who doesn't get this needs to be informed, and if they still
don't get it, you might like to rethink your friend list.
See yourself as the leader that you are. Own up to the moxie it takes to
do what you're doing. And expect that same leadership from the people
around you. It's a little known secret but oh-so-effective. Owning your
own business can be fun, rewarding and financially lucrative. But you
must remember who's in charge. And you must attend to your business like
you would a newborn baby: noursih it, love it, pay attention to it, and
never stop believing that YOU are solely responsible for it's growth.
Success will be yours if you will see it through.
Camille Strate is an author, critter-keeper and entrepeneur who has
spent her life in search of the perfect pasture. Her latest book,
"Whispers" will be released sometime in Spring of 2008. http://www.genuineintentions.com