Last Friday, April 01, 2016, I attended Connexions, a meetup for entrepreneurs/business owners and persons interested in starting a business, to discuss challenges in business and solutions to those challenges.
The meetup was organized and hosted by Carlana Charles of FemmePowered, veteran blogger and entrepreneur. Follow FemmePowered here to keep in the know about her upcoming events. If you are really serious about starting a business and not sure how, ensure to attend the next business event. These events are really great avenues for networking and growth.
As in her previous event, Sisterhood in Motion, there was a lot of useful information every entrepreneur should know which I chose to compile into six different points below:
- FINANCES
If you are not sure how to manage your finances, seek help from a professional. As a business owner, you should make it your priority to understand how to spend; where to invest and when to hold back.
2. MARKETING
I can never stop stressing how important it is to consistently market your brand. Creating a top-notch product without a marketing strategy may limit your ability to soar. There are many online tools available to assist with boosting your brand without spending a ton, matter of fact, a lot of them are free. So try your best to make use of it.
3. SUPPORT
You CANNOT do it on your own. You may think you can, but no one is an island and there will come a point when you need a helping hand, even if it’s just a word of encouragement. A good friend of mine always say and Carlana also mentioned on Friday, “Find your tribe.” This is just a group of people who brings support. They are the ones who will tell you as it is and stick around in the difficult times.
4. FACING FAILURE
This may come as a shock, but failure is not always a bad thing. It is your opportunity to go back to the drawing board, revamp your methods or your product entirely and come back with a BANG!
5. TRAINING & SKILL SET
I always say, “entrepreneurs never stop learning.” Don’t ever think you know enough to keep you above the rest. Keep abreast with marketing trends and strategies. Take courses, attend seminars and draw as much as you can from the experts.
6. TIME MANAGEMENT
Your timeliness in the delivery of your services to those depending on you can determine your their loyalty to you. I know there are times we may not be able to meet our deadline, but we should not seek to make it a habit. If the workload gets a bit heavy, delegate or ask for help. There’s no shame in asking for help. See number four.
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At the end, we all did an elevator pitch of our businesses or endeavors. The group was small, but there was a range of niches to connect with. From nail technician to non-profit organizations, we all shared our story and made Connexions. No one held back and some of us learned about each other’s niche for the first time! The networking at these meetups is always something look forward to and can create some great opportunities.
It was great hearing of these women’s stories. Some making a change and giving back while others on retirement and refuse to sit home and do nothing. Well done, ladies!
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If you have an idea, don’t sit and wait until that ‘best time’ comes around before you make a move. Start now, even if you don’t quite understand all that you need to do and you’ll figure it out along the way. The challenges I listed are all part of the journey, but with the right people around you, you will overcome. So get up and get! Make that start and turn your idea into a viable business.
