7 Powerful Steps to Success for Small Business Owners

Starting a business can be exciting and terrifying all at once, especially when you come from a family that has never ventured into entrepreneurship. But with passion and determination, Debbie Lewis was able to make her dream of owning a business a reality. In this article, Debbie Lewis, founder, business advisor, and regional ecosystem manager, shares her powerful journey of building a successful business from the ground up. She shares the lessons she learned, including the importance of listening to advice, understanding your weaknesses, and the power of having a good support system. Debbie also highlights the challenges of expanding a business, including the importance of making strategic decisions and knowing when to take advice. With her profound insights, Debbie Lewis provides invaluable advice for anyone looking to start or grow a business.

Debbie Lewis is an inspirational business founder, advisor, regional ecosystem manager, and small business cheerleader. After completing her medical biology degree and working in salons since the age of 14, Debbie knew she wanted to escape poverty and be her own boss. She took a chance and opened her first salon at 24, armed with a ￡5 note and a business loan. Through hard work and dedication, she managed to build a successful chain of hair and beauty salons, employing over 100 people in 17 years. Debbie found her success through the people around her - her family, friends, accountant, and bank manager - who gave her the necessary advice and support to make informed decisions and build a successful business. Her story is one of resilience and

Here are the steps you need to follow to also get success, growth, exit.:

1. Identify the need and develop a business plan.

3. Reach out to potential partners and secure the necessary funding.

4. Develop a brand strategy and reputation.

5. Surround yourself with the right people and resources to help you succeed.

6. Research, plan and be strategic when expanding.

7. Monitor and adjust your business decisions as needed.

The first step in the transcript is when Debbie Lewis is asked to describe herself. She prefaces her response by saying it depends on the day and what hat she's wearing. She then explains how she has always been passionate about business, even as a teenager. She was drawn to the idea of getting rich quick and decided to buy a salon after finishing university. She explains her motivation to start her own business was to escape the poverty she grew up in and she felt the only way to do that was to be her own boss. She was able to secure a business loan and opened up a bricks and mortar store with three staff members. Despite feeling terror, she fell on her feet and managed to make it work. She found support in her family and friends, who encouraged her to keep going and provided emotional support. Her father was particularly influential, being an excellent listener and helping her to make decisions by playing things back to her. Debbie then explains how she built her brand without a brand strategy, first creating a reputation and then building her brand up to scale and exit. She explains the importance of having the right people around her and how her accountant was particularly influential in helping her to make the right decisions. Finally, she explains how she expanded her business from one to two salons and learnt from her mistakes.

1. Identify the need and develop a business plan.

Step 2 in the transcript is to identify the need and develop a business plan. The first step is to identify the need and understand the purpose behind starting a business. This can be done by researching the target market, understanding the competition, and looking into the financials of the industry. Once the need is identified, it is important to create a business plan that outlines the goals, strategies, and tactics that will be implemented to achieve success. The business plan should include an executive summary, a description of the business and its products or services, a financial plan, a marketing plan, and a management plan. Additionally, it should include the details of the legal structure of the company, the people involved, and the timeline for implementation. Finally, the business plan should be reviewed and revised as needed.

3. Reach out to potential partners and secure the necessary funding.

Reaching out to potential partners and securing the necessary funding is a critical step to any business venture. The first step is to identify the type of funding that is needed, such as grants, loans, venture capital, or angel investments. Once the funding has been identified, research potential partners and investors that offer that type of funding. Companies, organizations, and individuals who offer the funding should be contacted to discuss the project and the funding that is needed. It is important to have a detailed and well-crafted business plan that outlines the project and the need for funding. Once potential partners have been identified, it is important to reach out and make contact. Contact should include an introduction of the project, a detailed explanation of the need for funding, and a review of the business plan. Potential partners and investors should be given the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the project. Once a potential partner or investor has expressed interest, negotiations should take place to discuss the terms of the funding. This should include the amount of money needed, the timeframe for repayment, and any other conditions that may be associated with the funding. It is important to be prepared to negotiate and to be flexible in order to secure the necessary funding.

4. Develop a brand strategy and reputation.

Developing a brand strategy and reputation is an important step to ensure success for any business. Debbie Lewis, founder and business advisor, was able to build her successful business by relying on the people around her for advice and guidance. She credits her parents and accountant as the most influential people in her journey. From her early beginnings, Debbie chose a unique name, Arcana, which grabbed attention and made her stand out in her industry. She also worked closely with a graphic designer and printer to develop physical branding that was memorable and attractive. Reputationally, Debbie was able to build a strong name for herself and her business through awards and speaking engagements. She was also able to establish her business in the community by engaging with customers and understanding their needs. This allowed her to expand her business to multiple locations, though she admits it was largely ego-driven. However, Debbie was lucky to receive great advice from her accountant which saved her from further financial danger. Ultimately, Debbie was able to create a successful brand and reputation through the support of others, and by listening to their advice.

5. Surround yourself with the right people and resources to help you succeed.

Surrounding yourself with the right people and resources to help you succeed is an essential part of running a successful business. Debbie Lewis, founder, business advisor, regional ecosystem manager and small business cheerleader, has experienced this first hand. Throughout her journey in business, Debbie has had over 100 people who have been part of her journey, whether they were apprentices, part time staff or full time. She has also appreciated the support of her family, her accountant, her bank manager and her business coach. Each of these people have given her different advice and a different perspective during different stages of her business’ growth. From this, Debbie has learnt the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people and resources to help you succeed. Having a mentor, an accountant and a bank manager to guide you in the right direction and give you tough love when necessary, is essential for the success of any business. Additionally, having people who understand the industry you are in, and can offer you insight and advice on the best decisions to make, is key. Having these people in your corner can help you make the right decisions, steer your business in the right direction and ultimately help you succeed.

6. Research, plan and be strategic when expanding.

When expanding, research and planning is key. It is important to ensure that the expansion is strategic and well-thought-out. Debbie Lewis, founder, business advisor and regional ecosystem manager, speaks of her own experience expanding her business. When she first began her business, she had one salon with three staff. She was motivated to have a different life than the poverty she was brought up in. As her business grew, she made the mistake of expanding too quickly without doing a brand strategy day or researching her next move. She had two guys in her network who saved her from making mistakes, but she still had to learn the hard way. She learned that having the right people around you, like an accountant, bank manager and business coach, is vital for success. She also learned to be more strategic with her expanding, doing research and planning out her moves. With this knowledge, she was able to eventually close her business at the right time and make the most amount of money.

7. Monitor and adjust your business decisions as needed.

Monitoring and adjusting business decisions as needed is an important step in any business venture. This requires having an understanding of the current situation, being able to identify potential risks, and taking proactive steps to mitigate any threats. To do this, Debbie Lewis recommends having a trusted advisor or consultant, a bank manager, and an accountant who can help provide guidance and advice. Additionally, it is important to stay up to date on changes in the industry, the market, and any other external factors that may affect the business. It is also important to be open to feedback from customers, employees, and other stakeholders. The feedback should be used to inform decision-making and allow for adjustments as needed. Finally, it is essential to have a good understanding of finances, including cash flow, income, and expenses. This knowledge will help make it easier to identify any risks and make adjustments quickly should the need arise.

Debbie Lewis' story of resilience and determination is truly inspirational. She was able to build a successful business from the ground up by having the right people around her to provide advice and support. She identified the need, developed a business plan, reached out to potential partners and secured the necessary funding, developed a brand strategy and reputation, and monitored and adjusted her business decisions as needed. Debbie's story is a testament to the power of having a good support system, understanding your weaknesses, listening to advice, and making strategic decisions. No matter your background, with passion and determination, you too can achieve the same success.

I’d love to hear how you apply Arcana Salon Expansion to get success, growth, exit.. Leave me a comment on how it went for you or drop any questions you want me to answer!