Advice from a Rambling Entrepreneur on how not to look for a job.

Knowledge to Motion is officially 10 years old.

?It is time for reflection on what the journey of becoming and being an entrepreneur taught me.

?So here is my advice to all aspiring entrepreneurs ?…. "Go for it"! With the understanding that starting and running your own business is probably the hardest yet most rewarding thing you will ever do.

You will cry, you will laugh, you will succeed, you will fail … keep getting up … keep moving forward - the pride and freedom that comes from calling yourself an entrepreneur is worth it!

There were many days I searched for LinkedIn Employment opportunities, telling myself you should stop all this Entrepreneurship nonsense, you should get a job. After all it would be so much easier to let somebody else worry about salaries, month-end expenses, stressed employees, unhappy clients, trying to be a leader when you actually have no idea if you doing it right, late nights, early mornings, the fear that your employees, clients and family are soon going to realise that you are not really an entrepreneur, that you have been faking it.

So, fellow entrepreneur if this happens to you, here is how I managed to stay the course for 10 years.? I am hoping it helps you.

?Step 1:

Close your laptop and go make a cup of tea (I am a bit of a herbal tea addict), grab a pen & paper and write down all the reasons you started your business.? For me, I wanted to really make a difference, I wanted to not just have bums on seat, but I wanted to change my learners’ lives, their mindsets, their self-belief.? I wanted to be a friend, and an ally to my clients. I wanted a company where my employees can grow and a place where they work hard but have enough freedom to enjoy a sports day with their kids or take their princess to her first ballet recital.? After all, we are humans before we are employees.

OK, OK …. Let’s be honest …. I also started it so that I did not have to complete leave forms, or ask the boss if I could take the afternoon off.

Step 2:

Tell yourself: “Add name here” I am proud of you, you made it, you have been an entrepreneur for “add timeline here”.? And you are slaying it!”

Now, I don’t care if you have been an entrepreneur for a month or for a year.? Full-time or part-time.? Having the courage to take that first step is reason enough for you to acknowledge that you are “slaying it”!

?Step 3:

?Grab that pen & paper again and write down:

1.???? What have I learned from my days/month’s/years in business?

2.???? What am I celebrating?

Note here that I don’t go into what is not working, where I failed, what I could have done better, this is not the time for that … unless you want to log into your laptop again and apply for that job!

Let’s face it, we criticise ourselves enough to know where we failed or could have done better.

Step 4:

Call each one of your staff members or clients and thank them for their contribution. Tell them how their contribution made a difference to the company.? Now that you are all “in your feels”, ?be vulnerable with them and tell them ... "Please let me know how I can be a better leader/service provider for you”. ?Then listen to their input, without judging yourself or them.

Step 5:

Then entrepreneur, you get up, open your laptop and start working on YOUR business.?

?Advice from a rambling entrepreneur .... Belinda van Rensburg, Founder and Managing Director of a double digit business !!! WHOOP WHOOP!

?In closing ….. ?“Belinda” I am proud of you, you made it, you have been an entrepreneur for “10 years”.? And you are slaying it!”

Thanks LinkedIn Family