7 honest lessons from my 1st year in business that you can apply in your career

Being an entrepreneur is flipping hard

Did you know that 1 in 5 business owners give up in their first year of business? And of those who persevered, many have no doubt had reckoning moments, tossing between pushing on and quitting.

When you pursue a passion, no one tells you that you will have to grapple with uncertainty daily, feel incompetent as you pick up new skills, and your inner critic will run the show with the force you’ve never seen.

I used to struggle with confidence in my career. I was extremely uncomfortable being in the spotlight, strived for perfection at the cost of my wellbeing, and rarely asked for help.

Launching my business full time in January last year has been a catalyst for huge growth. I have matured in the past year more than I have in a decade, and experienced successes and falls like I never have before.

Why am I sharing this and how does this relate to your career?

Learn from my mistakes

The lessons I learned would have served me greatly when I was striving to climb the corporate ladder and be rewarded for the value I bring. Adopting these insights will help you accelerate your growth and propel you towards the career you want and deserve.

A shortcut to success lies in learning from others’ mistakes.

Here are 7 most important lessons I have taken away that you can apply in your career:

1/ Take responsibility for your outcomes

I have learned quite quickly that unless I show up and do what I said I would do, nothing will move forward in my business. I also had to take ownership for when I did not do myself justice, procrastinated or avoided doing something that felt uncomfortable, but was necessary.

The results we get are a direct representation of the decisions we made and actions we have taken (or not taken).

In a corporate structure, it’s easier to devolve responsibility and blame it on external factors, like incompetent bosses, beaurocracy, poor processes. You can also get away with passively moving through your career, since there is always someone there who ‘manages’ your career development.

The moment you make a decision to no longer wait around to be noticed, or offered opportunities and support, is the moment your trajectory changes. If you see your career progression and fulfilment as your own responsibility, you will take more action to ensure you step up for yourself and your future.

2/ You are your brand, be intentional about what you promote

I realised early on that the New Flame Coaching brand is strongly linked to who I am as a person and what I stand for and represent, not just what I offer.

We all have a brand. Your personal brand is your reputation and the impressions you make; what people say about you when you’re not in the room. This applied to business as well as your career.

Through every interaction you are showcasing who you are, what you stand for, and what you are capable of. Be intentional about showcasing your unique strengths and abilities, as well your passions and values. Don’t be afraid to stand out, that’s what gets you noticed!

But remember, congruence is key. You’ve got to be the same person in the spotlight as you are when no one is watching.

3/ You don’t ever have to do it alone

I used to associated asking for help with admitting weakness, signalling that I am incapable or incompetent. Running a business as a solopreneur can get quite lonely, you lose the watercooler chats and impromptu banter at the office.

My biggest lesson and achievement has been shedding that unresourceful pride and reaching out for support when I needed it. It resulted in a strong, supportive community of women who lift and empower one another and opened so many doors!

In your career, take initiative to build a community of supportive cheerleaders; people who can offer advice, a listening ear, or a helping hand. When you don’t have the resources you need, ask for them; admit when you don’t understand something or just need emotional support.

Remember, you don’t have to have it together all of the time!

4/ To grow, you must embrace discomfort

There were many firsts and many unknowns in my first year of business.

Whilst I was stretching myself to become a better coach, I was learning the foundations of digital marketing, sales, public speaking, graphic design, website building, you name it. I felt perpetually vulnerable feeling incompetent and putting myself out there regardless. It was been uncomfortable to say the least.

As humans, we seek, crave, long for comfort. We associate it with safety. Being presented with an opportunity to uplevel your career means facing something that is unfamiliar, and unfamiliar often means uncomfortable.

To truly grow and fulfil your potential in your career, you must get comfortable with discomfort. You also have to embrace risk, and a possibility of failure. In fact, assume that you will fail because to fail is to learn - mistakes are nothing but lessons.

5/ Don’t try to be like everyone else

It’s normal when you start out to look up to others and model their behaviour. As I launched my business, I tried to be like other coaches, and played it safe by only doing what I saw others do. I realised I can’t succeed if I try to be like everyone else.

Modelling those who are successful in their careers, whatever that success looks like to you, can help you set out in the right direction. But there comes a time where you have to find your own unique edge, your secret sauce, and use it!

Have the courage to be yourself, because no one else has what you have! Your power lies in the unique mix of skills, attributes, passions, experiences and resources you have. Find your secret sauce and harness it!

6/ Practice boundaries, and practice them often

The importance of boundaries is one of my earliest lessons. I did so much to please others at the start of my business, showed up to all fellow coaches’ events, always said yes to accountability groups and networking.

It wasn’t sustainable. I had to embrace the discomfort of setting boundaries, and say no to things that were not helping me achieve my goals or did not feel aligned or fulfilling.

If you don’t protect your energy and fill your days with intention, others will fill your days for you. Remember that you are always saying no to something. Don’t let that always be you and your dreams.

7/ Perfectionism is not serving you, aim for progress

In the first months of pursuing coaching as a career, I had an unhealthy relationship with failure. I avoided making mistakes at all costs and agonized over every piece of work, often just to nip it in the bud because it's "not good enough".

What I needed to nip in the bud is my perfectionism. Whilst striving for high quality work shows a healthy drive, there is a?very fine line between having high standards and self-sabotage.

Perfectionism is a double-edged sword. As much as it represents pursuit of excellence, it?can actually stand in the way of progress as we stall, unable to achieve impossible standards we set for ourselves.

Instead, adopt the motto of “progress over perfection”, sometimes 80% is good enough as it allows you to keep momentum and focus on the next level of growth.

Personal growth is critical to success

The bottom line is, if you want a life and career success that is different to the one you already have, you have to shed some light to what’s holding you back. Once you know, it then becomes possible to shift and let go of some of that baggage.

Personal growth and continually working through your limitation is the only way you can push past your zone of comfort. And we know that comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.

If those lessons triggered you a little, good, you’re recognising where you might be holding yourself back. And remember, you don’t have to do it alone.

When ever you feel ready, book a short chat to see how I can support you.

Whatever you do, keep showing up for yourself.

P.S. Do you know how strong your professional presence is? Complete this short quiz to find out!

P.P.S. If my lessons resonated, check out my other articles on related topics:

?? Do you own your day or does it own you? 4 steps to more control.

?? Are you addicted to comfort? How comfort keeps you stuck!

?? Be your own marketing team: How to build a killer personal brand

?? Quit comparing your beginning to someone else's middle!

?? Why do we resist setting boundaries?

?? Can you truly bring your whole self to work?

Check out the comments for more opportunities to engage!