With hindsight: Dear Sue…

The best piece of advice I can give as you step out of a corporate career into running a business, is that you have to grow if your business is going to grow.

Realise that your success in business will come down to your willingness to take risks, behave confidently, stand your ground and persist when most others would throw in the towel. This will require you to be open to move through fears when they arise.

You’ll soon learn that your own enthusiasm and joy for what you do is the best sales tool you have.

People buy from you when you back yourself. Price is not a factor when you can be the solution to a client’s problem, so charge more. No-one will buy from you until you can state your value and believe in it.

You have much to learn from others, so be willing to be vulnerable and admit your lack of knowledge or skills, especially when it comes to hiring staff. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and stress if you hire people who know more than you, rather than growing a team of junior assistants.

If your business is to be truly scalable and sustainable, you must allow others to play their role. Finding staff who can do as much as 80 per cent of what you can deliver is more than enough for your clients. Start your business with the idea that others will step in to take over the reigns, so avoid becoming the brand yourself. Strong systems are important, so work on these early and always be thinking about how you can train someone else to do what you do. This will require you to let go of control and trust in the skills and intentions of others.

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