What I Learned in My First Year Of Business (and What You Should Do Differently)
Here’s what I learned in my first year of business and what you can do differently
Technically, I’ve been freelancing and working for myself in some capacity for 5+ years. However, 2020 was my first full year operating under the business name, Well Kept.
We launched in December 2019 - what a time to start a business, right? We had brand photography shoots rolling, an in-person retreat planned for March 2020 (ha), and tons of workshops on the horizon.
I know, I know - we’re tired of hearing the “P” word. So, this won’t necessarily revolve around that. instead, I want to share a few of the things I learned in my first year that will help you better approach the work that you do.
What I learned in my first year of business and what you should do differently
It’s important to be open to change
I think 2020 taught us all that, right? Well, it goes beyond what happened last year. Being open to change means you’re open to possibility, to growth, to reflection leading to changes that are good and necessary.
Be open to shifting how you work with your clients, how you develop your products, and/or how you market yourself. Being open to change doesn’t mean you’re planning for your first efforts to fail, it means you’re aware that life ebbs and flows, that we learn through experience, that we can continue to be and do better.
You are not your fear
Doing things that scare you are exactly that, scary! They also force you to reckon with that fear. Why is it that you’re scared to do that thing? How can you tackle that fear without discounting it? Fear comes easily to small business owners/freelancers/entrepreneurs. It’s because we’re constantly creating. We often wear all the hats. That’s a lot to handle!
You are not your fear, but you may be living in it.
One of the exercises that helped me better understand fear and how to address it is by writing a letter to it. Yes, an actual letter to your fear. Tallia Deljou, one of the kindest and most inspired souls I know, lead a group of us in addressing our fear by writing a letter to it.
It felt good to put pen to paper (or…fingers to keyboard) and tell fear that I hear it, see it, and feel it. But, that I am not it.
Take 10 minutes today to write your own letter to fear. You never know what you might uncover - or how good you’ll feel after.
Letting clients go is okay (and necessary)
This one can still be a doozy! A client may be ideal in almost every way, yet if working with them is not the right fit for you at that time, it’s time to let go.
I have spent a lot of time approaching my business from a place of fear instead of abundance.
I felt that I needed to take any client projects that came my way because what if nothing else came along? And, it can be easy to fall back into those thought patterns. Now, when I feel them coming on, I take a minute to reflect on all the work I’ve done - the women I’ve helped, the partnerships I’ve helped establish, and the projects I’ve helped launch. I celebrate what I’ve accomplished and relish in the fact that even better is yet to come.
Here are a few questions I ask myself before breaking up with a client:
Is working with this person furthering my own experience and growth?
Am I truly serving this person better than someone else can?
Is this a service I still want to be offering?
Is my work with this client profitable?
Is this in line with my goals for the future?
Reflection is key
Without taking time to reflect, I wasn’t setting time aside to take in all that I’ve accomplished. I wasn’t cheering myself on. I wasn’t paying enough attention to the goals we accomplished and growth we experienced.
Reflection helps me understand what I want to do more, how I can alter my services and processes to better support my clients, why I continue to do what I do, and how I can take better care of myself.
This is now a must every month and I can truly feel the difference.
Going it alone is tough
And the best part is that you don’t have to do it! Even if you are your only colleague, that doesn’t mean that you truly have to go it alone. Find a community of like-minded business owners. Lean on them for support and provide it where you can. Find a partner that complements your work - perhaps it’s a VA or a copywriter or a designer.
Reach out to friends and family. Connect with your clients. It may get lonely sometimes, but you don’t have to go it alone.
Vulnerability is relatable
I mean this in both the selling sense and also in the sense that you can use it to build your community. When you open up space to be vulnerable, it opens up space for others to do the same.
It wasn’t until recently when I opened up about my anxiety that I felt a weight lift off my shoulder. I had no idea how much of a burden I was carrying alone by keeping it a secret. Your vulnerability will look different than mine, and we should celebrate that. We may be business owners, but we’re also human.
Your business may be all you, but you are not your business.
Asking for help is good — actually, it’s great
I went the longest time without asking for help. I thought I could do it at all like I was some superhero that could juggle better than everyone else.
Well, guess what? I’m not.
I know…you’re surprised too, right?
When I actively sought out help, I could start to see the growth in and future of my business. Let’s all lift each other up, shall we? There’s room for all of us at the table.
What have you learned in your business that changes the way you think, operate, and treat yourself? These are a few of mine, and I’d love to hear yours.
- Gabriella
