This past Sunday we celebrated 4 years of Roop Creative Agency! It's been a heck of a ride with highs, lows and a whole lot of fun. Every day brings new challenges and the hustle never stops, but to me, that's the best part. Over the last 4 years, I've learned a lot as a Solopreneur (including the word Solopreneur). Some of these lessons came from books, while others came from experience and friends on a similar journey.
Today I want to share with you the 4 business lessons that have helped me scale up my business in 4 years!
Lesson 1: Be consistent & provide value
Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to building trust and making yourself indispensable. Whether it's how you conduct your business or showcase yourself on Instagram, being consistent helps build momentum and buzz around your brand. Mix that in with valuable content and you have a winning formula that will help you attract your dream clients.
Lesson 2: Stick to your process
I will admit when I first started I swayed from my process for a needy client or two who wanted to rush through it. This only caused further delays, a lot of anxiety and steered me away from my dream clients who actually valued my work. No thank you!
We all have those learning moments. Just remember you're an expert and there is probably a reason why you have set your process a certain way. It helps you get the results your clients want and need! Stick to it and if anyone tries steering you off explain why you have this process in place. If they value you worth they will value the process too!
Lesson 3: Focus on that Feeling
Maya Angelou said it best, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
This applies to your business too. Your brand experience is how your clients feel every step of the way, regardless of the ups and downs, they will ALWAYS remember how you made them feel.
I've built my business mission on empowering my clients. That feeling is so important because I know it's something they will cherish forever as they scale their business. It's also the reason many of them send referrals and return when they need more. So take time to really understand how you want each person to feel when they walk through your doors.
Lesson 4: Set boundaries
Setting boundaries will allow you to thrive in your personal and business life. This can mean blocking off time for client calls and emails as well as time for you to work on your business, but it can also mean setting boundaries when it comes to business relationships.
You didn't start your business to find friends. You should have professional relationships with all your clients, that allows you to focus on your service or product. It can be quite tricky some times, but it's really important as entrepreneurs that we value our time and in turn work with those who value it as well.
And hey - you can still be friendly and professional at the same time, you just want to draw the line somewhere that feels comfortable for you and allows you to give your clients the best results.
BONUS: Pivot and be open to change
Anyone who owns their own business will tell you, to pivot where necessary and be open (and ready) for change. Life happens - that's something we've learned in 2020, so be accepting of change that comes your way and ready to morph to better suit your dream clients!
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There you have it the 4 most important business lessons I've learned as an entrepreneur from my 4 years of business. Deep down I know this is just the beginning for us and there is a lot more to come, so stay tuned and enjoy the ride.