Hey everyone. Welcome to Confessions of an Imperfect Entrepreneur part 2. I could have probably added this all together in the first part, but that was a lot to share. So here we go on part two. Where was I…oh yeah. I remember now.
It’s okay to ask for help.
In the Fall of 2015 I made the decision to restart my business. I was recovering nicely from my head injury and was excited and ready to get back into the game. I wrote down everything I wanted to accomplish. First, I went through a design overhaul. I wanted (and needed) something fresh so I first started with a new logo. Rule number four: It’s okay to ask for help. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Let me tell you, you can’t do it all by yourself. There are some things that you will need to ask for help on. It’s okay. This does not make you weak or incompetent. It’s makes you smart. You recognize that you can’t do it all on your own. Look at what needs to be done. Look at what you don’t want to do. Consider outsourcing those things.
So, I went to Fiverr.com and found a fantastic designer there who gave me exactly what I was looking for. I enjoyed that experience so much that I hired someone to do the re-design of my website. Needless to say, that experience wasn’t as good as I hoped and I found myself back to designing my website on my own. I can do it, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to be free to do other things. On a side note, you can find great contractors on Fiverr. Read all the reviews and choose several contractors just in case you see one that has a lot of jobs pending in their queue. If you’re interested in someone, but not sure if this is something they can do or didn’t mention, ASK THEM. There is no shame in asking a question about something you’re getting ready to pay for. Get all your questions asked and answered so you can make an informed decision.
This journey hasn’t been an easy one. Since restarting, I’ve hoped to have progressed farther than I have. My expectations, I thought were realistic. I needed to take things slow, but I wanted and felt that I could just jump back in. Bad idea. Rule number five: you don’t want to overload yourself. Having so much happening at one time is not only overwhelming, but also scary. You have so many balls in the air that you become scared of dropping one, if not all. This goes back to rule number one: write it all down and work the list. Prioritize then work the list. I’m sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself there. Not the first time. LOL.
Don’t compare yourself to others.
My accomplishments since restarting my business have been few, but profound for me. I’ve made better decisions which have resulted in being able to connect with some wonderful and fascinating women. These women too are building and working their businesses one step at a time. These women entrepreneurs are amazing. Remember, not everyone is on the same path as you and don’t expect them to be. They’ve been great teachers, which makes me even more eager to learn and grow. Rule number five: don’t compare yourself to others. I’ve spent plenty of time doing this. You are different. Your journey is completely different from theirs. Your challenges are different. You may find yourself having similar issues, but the outcome will be different. Remember, this journey was specifically designed for you. Your steps won’t be the same as someone else’s. My journey in my entrepreneurship will be different from yours.
Because of these remarkable connections with these women, I have been able to share more of myself and become more visible. For various reasons, I was ashamed of my story. I wasn’t sure how someone would receive me. Yes, I am flawed. Here’s a secret….so is everyone. I was totally vulnerable not sure of what to expect once my story got out. There is not a perfect person out there. If there is, I want to meet them. Just saying.
Your audience will find you.
Some of you (and me) have issues with visibility. This is normal and part of the process. You can be good at everything else, but being seen is still a little hard for you. First of all, don’t be hard on yourself. It won’t do you any good. Honor where you are and work it from there. Write down what scares you about being visible. Be honest with yourself. You can’t move forward until you deal with that. Take a baby step. Challenge yourself to put yourself out there, some where. If you want to be in business, sooner or later, you’re going to have to be seen. How will anyone know who you are? How will they find you? I’ve had the same questions posed to me and the person asking me was right. I needed to take the step and let the chips fall where they may. Now it’s your turn; take one step. Rule number six: Expect to feel vulnerable at times. With each thing you put out, whether it’s a new blog post, article, product, etc. Not everyone is going to like what you do or say. Unfortunately, that too is part of the process. Think about it for a minute. Just know that what you put out there, your audience will find you. Do not change who you are to fit someone else’s requirement of who you should be. Be you. Your tribe will come.
Anyways, I struggled to bring it to the forefront. However with love and support of these remarkable women that I am fortunate to have in my circle, I was able to put that shame aside and put it all out there for the world to see. I finally felt free and liberated from my own box; my own personal prison if you will. The light was restored inside of me. I thought I was finally on my way. Well, not exactly…..
See you in the final part of Confessions of an Imperfect Entrepreneur.
Hi there! It’s nice to meet you! I’m a successful single mama, mental health advocate, sports fan, blogger and all around fun person helping other overwhelmed and stressed women entrepreneurs to get hope, have faith and be inspired to push through their depression and anxiety so they too can live the life of their dreams. Say hello! I would love to meet you! 🙂
