5 Years in Business: 5 Lessons That Have Built My Brand
I am so incredibly grateful to be here writing this blog post about my business turning 5! Honestly where has the time gone! It has truly been such an incredible journey. Plus it feels like I am just getting started. That said here are the 5 lessons that have built my brand.
In todays blog want to I want to share with you 5 lessons I have learned whilst building this business. I hope this helps you where you are on your business journey and you take something from my sharing. This isn’t a website or design style blog post that you have come to expect from me. This is a very reflective blog post about business as a whole and navigating possibly the most turbulent waters out there.
I am going to jump into 5 of the things I have learned whilst on this business journey. This is by far just me skimming the surface of what I have learned so far. But I wanted to share this with you. If you find any of this useful please let me know. As well as sharing this with anyone else you think this might help. I would love to do a part 2 on this.
5 lessons that have built my brand
Lesson 1 – The hardest part is starting!
This is something I tell business owners all the time when it comes to starting a business.
This is a lesson which is truly timeless, nothing about starting a business easy when you first start. Other than the skill/service/product that you start with. Everything else including the decision to start the business itself is the hardest bit.
That is why I have so much respect for the people who take the leap and give it a go. We are never really taught about what it takes to start and run a business. That just isn’t the world me live in unfortunately. This lack of knowledge and teaching adds to the fear of starting the business.
But believe me when I say this… Starting a business is the BEST thing I have ever done. The hardest part is starting. Because you are starting from scratch, without a business name or strategy, or logo or anything. Just an idea and a desire to make it. You have no idea how you are going to make the business work. But you are excited to be starting something you love. Once you start the business, the hardest part is done… Everything that comes after that is progress, learning, trial and error and adapting… All the way to YOUR version of success. This has played a huge part in the 5 lessons that have built my brand.
Lesson 2 – More than just the money
I love this one
For a lot of people starting a business may seem like it is all about the money. But I here to tell you that if you want your business to survive its first year… It HAS to be about more than just the money. The money might be the reason you started but it won’t be what keeps you going on the hard days and the days you want to give up. On these days its your purpose and drive that keeps you going. For some people its travel, their kids, freedom, you get the general idea. For me this is being my own boss, owning my own schedule, freedom, and setting my self up for my future.
What this looks like in my life and business
Putting in the groundwork now. So that my future self is grateful every single day for the work I have done and continue to do. Having the freedom to live my life in a way that suits me and my energy levels. Rather than, forcing myself to work a 9-5 work day. For full transparency, I currently start work at 10am and finish around 7pm and I love that. For anyone that follows me on Instagram you will know I spend my mornings at the gym or running. Somedays I work longer hours. Some days its less hours and sometimes its 2am, but thats my choice to work, knowing my energy levels.
But believe me when I say. If you are only in it for the money working through the tough parts of business is so much harder. When you don’t have a deeper purpose and reason for running your business. Of course there is nothing wrong with starting a business purely for money. There is no judgement here. But I have found in the tough parts of business its the purpose and passion that sail you through to calmer waters.
Lesson 3 – It takes time and thats the only thing you need to get comfortable with in business
The comfort zone cycle in business
This is something I only learned after about 3 years of running my business. In business you will often find yourself outside of your comfort zone, borderline always. You often find yourself in a cycle of approaching something scary or challenging. Finding yourself in the growth zone (not the comfort zone) and then learning and achieving that challenge. Getting comfortable with it and then moving on to the next challenge in business. That is truly the beauty of running a business. The learning, opportunities, and continued growth as you find your feet and scale your business. It is common for business owners to hear that they won’t be able to grow in the comfort zone and this is true.
But one thing you should get comfortable with is the fact that you won’t be building your business from the comfort zone. Especially if you want to have a business with a chance of surviving.
Fast track ticket to freedom? Why this isn’t always the best approach and minset
The other thing I personally had to get ‘comfortable’ with when I started my business was the fact that I couldn’t fast track myself to my ‘freedom life’. As much as I would have LOVED to. I now know its something that HAS to take time. Businesses take time, just like growing anything. I like to compare this to growing a fruit like strawberries for example. It has to go through the different stages and phases to get to the point where it is producing strawberries. It literally can’t jump from seeds to strawberries without going through the rest of the phases.
Business is the exact same, only this narrative is almost never spoken about, and isn’t well known. Its reasonable to think that it takes time to grow strawberries or anything like that. Just like it is reasonable to think if you were on a flight to the other side of the world. It takes time to get to the destination and we accept that. However in business we seem to want to get to our goals ‘yesterday’ if we could. But as I moved through the years of business. Building out each part, like my email list, refining my offers, doing market research again, and again and again, working on my visibility, learning marketing, and so much more.
Being present in business and the impact this has
What truly goes into building a sustainable business become clear to me. That instead of rushing this process of building a business I should be present and enjoying every second of it. You don’t get this time back, and you are very much progressing to your goals with every step you take. Even if you are thinking I have ‘failed’ every launch or no one likes or sees my content, or I haven’t made sale all month… There is a lesson in EVERYTHING, even in the things that don’t go as planned.
When we are present in business and honour where we are, and take the time to learn from everything you try, and adapt things. You are progressing and getting a step closer to your bigger goals. You HAVE to go through these learning processes. To find what works for your business and adapt, build resilience, and understand why things have and haven’t worked for your business. When you pause and look back you will truly see how far you have come and how much you have accomplished. It is as you learn and adapt where the truly beauty of business lives. That is why I included this in my 5 lessons that have built my brand post today.
Lesson 4 – Don’t fall of ‘good marketing’ when you first start your business – how to look deeper.
This is a big sister moment for you here… I have been in the online business space for 5 years now. This is the 100% one thing I would tell every business owner to look out for. This is to keep your eyes open for the business owners who are excellent at marketing… But fall short on the services and products they provide.
I say this because businesses have to make money to survive. We know this and thats why our passions and purpose pulls us through the low months. But don’t be fooled by ‘good marketing’ its known that marketing can also been seen as a form of manipulation. I think this is true… Business owners will position their offers and service in a certain way to appeal to your better nature.
Being realistic about marketing
Now to a degree all businesses have to do something to market business somehow. But I have definitely been stung many times from coaches who promise the world and don’t deliver the absolute basics, as they are already looking for their next sale. This isn’t me saying that all businesses are like this… Not at all, but my advice is… Don’t believe everything to see and read online and never be afraid to ask questions. The more the better! And speak to people who have been in a similar position to you and ask the frank questions that need to be asked with no fluff.
So you feel sure, confident and understand what you are investing in. Never feel pressured into the sale, and always look out for red flags. I am sharing this one because I don’t believe in gatekeeping and it is something I wish someone had told me when I first got started. Good marketing doesn’t mean great results. Just to add to this, the biggest investments won’t always yield the best results, so purchase carefully.
Lesson 5 – The compound effect of business is literally magnetic
This one might be my favourite! This is the result of not giving up on your business. There is no way this compound effect doesn’t work for all businesses and I am going to tell you why. In lesson 3 above about growing outside of your comfort zones, and how every step in business is a steps towards progress. This is something I whole heartily brief and have experienced myself.
Let me give you some context of what this looks like. It can be so hard doing something and seeing 0 results from it over and over again. (Like an instagram – posting every day and getting no clients! Or reaching out to ideal clients to be ghosted, ignored, and repeatedly getting no’s). It can so hard to stay consistent when all of your best efforts are amounting to nothing, and there is 0 positive feedback to keep you going.
No regrets about this happening repeatedly in my business and this is why
I have been through this SO many times over the course of 5 years in business. Its is all a part of the process of learning, growing skills, and adapting.
I heard this phrase on a podcast and the instant mindset shift I had was incredible! It changed the way I looked at business forever with the simplest of words…
“Every ‘no’ is a step closer to your ‘yes’”
This quote leans heavily on lesson 3 about business taking time. And the time needed for you to learn and adapt, because you aren’t coming into your business knowing everything! It takes time to learn the ropes of business.
The other thing I LOVE about this quote (and this is for all my analytical business owners out there) is that its almost impossible for everyone to say no… At some point someone is going to say yes, or even maybe. In simpler terms which is something I often tell myself… “If you knock on enough doors eventually someone is going to say yes” there is no other way around it.
Why I love the compound effect in business
That is why I LOVE the compound effect in business, because there is so many things you can try. Once you find things that works for you or you enjoy doing. As long as you stick with them and STAY consistent. This is so important you have to stay consistent in order for this to be effective. Eventually you will get to where you want to be. There is a knock on effect in consistency and repetition. When you put the work in the results that come back are multiplied. I have personally found this in so many area of my business and have learned that even when you feel like stopping something because it’s ‘not working’ that is the most important time to push on. It will happen for you.
5 lessons that have built my brand: To conclude
5 lessons that have built my brand
So to conclude the 5 lessons that have built my brand. I could honestly go on and go with the lessons I have learned over the course of the last 5 years… I haven’t even touched on the mindset shifts I have experienced in the last 5 years it has truly been monumental! Do let me know if you would be interested in hearing more about this.
This is the 5 things I wanted to share with you about business and how I have found this journey so far. I am truly SO incredibly grateful that I started this business when I did, and that it is still here today. I also want to say a MASSIVE thank you to ALL of the people who have support me on this journey. Because the reality is that it is hard, but it is also one of the biggest life changing, best things I have ever done in my life.
I would love to celebrate this moment with you and help you with your website and sales page
I love helping business owners who are trying to grow these businesses too. If you would like to work with me please get in contact below, or reach out to me directly. In celebration of my businesses 5th birthday I am offering the following offers below:
First offer – 1 Premium website with £500 off
Second offer – 1 Luxury website with £300 off
Third offer – 1 sales page with £200 off
These offers will only be available until Monday 5th May, so if you would like one of these services, quote ‘5TH BIRTHDAY’. These offers will disappear forever on Monday. To book fill out the contact form below or get in contact directly.
If you prefer to work on your own website I hear that! I am currently working on my template shop to support business owners who love working on their own terms. Join my waitlist for 20% off of whole template shop when it is ready to be launched. Plus for the first 4 people to invest you also get a free strategy session with me worth over £250. We will plan your whole website strategy together, and you will also get a bespoke action plan to work from too. This will give you the steps and guidance you need to get your website launched within the week.
Have a lovely a week! Speak soon! I hope you found this ‘5 lessons that have built my brand’ useful!
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