This post’s acronym is: business

B

Build your business from the ground up. Put the proper structures in place. Unfortunately too many people don’t do this. Some take short cuts and discover along the way that they go through an unnecessary steep learning curve before they start to correct the mistakes that they have made. I’ve a motto that I live by “if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well”. This applies to any business, build it well and it will stand to you. Attending a Start Your Own Business course with your local Enterprise Board or Solasand any other training you might need is definitely worth considering.

U

You are solely responsible for your business. You can pay all the experts in the world to help you, however if you don’t have a proper vision of what you want and explain that to the people you hire/recruit you might as well be trying to walk up a steep mudslide. It is up to you to make sure that your vision is clear; your mission is understood and implemented.

S

Stumbling blocks. With every new business there are hurdles to overcome, where will the finances required come from, will I get enough customers/clients to be able to grow my business, how much should I spend on marketing? Ask others who have been in your position how they managed. We’ve all been at the start-up stage at some point and human beings have a huge capacity to want to help each other, so tap into that.

I

Interest in the outside world. You’ve got your business off the ground and it is taking up all your time, so the rest of your life gets put on hold. I’ve often heard people talk about a new business the same in way they do with new babies all consuming! All thoughts and actions are focused on this very dependent entity. The danger with closing off from the outside world is you lose touch with reality. Take the time to stay grounded. Not only will you be glad to get back to your business, you will see it with refreshed eyes and ideas.

N

Negotiation. Learn the art of successful negotiation. In business you will need this particular skill to be able to get the best deals when dealing with suppliers and also when dealing with staff related issues. Being able to negotiate successfully leaves most people feeling that they both parties have benefitted from the interaction. Teach your staff these skills too and you will find your workplace a much more productive one to work in.

E

Energy. Like all things we have slumps in our energy. To be able to function properly our bodies need proper amounts of nutrition, rest and activity. Business owners are well known for letting the activity side of things slide with the excuse of “I’ve too much work to do.” Allocate the proper time to work and when that time is over STOP! Go do something else, even going for a walk every day helps. We work more efficiently when we have the correct energy drive behind us.

S

Slumps, we all get them. In fact globally we are coming out of one. Nothing stays up forever and nothing stays down forever either. Be realistic about the ebbs and flows of your business. If your business is busy in the run up to Christmas and other holiday seasons plan your holidays around your slow times. If you get a slump at a time you don’t normally get one revisit how you are doing your business, does something need to be dropped or something new need to be implemented?

S

Success. Reward each and every one of them. That doesn’t mean gloat and wallow in them. We often dismiss the small successes that led up to the really big one we were aiming at. These small successes are the motivation that drives us forward so they need to be acknowledged and celebrated too.