Diary of a business owner part 1*

*No idea how many of these there’ll be, I’m just going with it.

This is one of those articles that could be described as a ‘living document’. I know I know, that’s a phrase that should be relegated to last week’s article entitled ‘crap marketing buzzwords’… but bear with me.?

As So Contented evolves as a business, as every day of this incredible experience passes, I’m constantly reflecting on what I’m learning along the way. And I write it all down (I’m a writer, I write things down).??

Read on for the general musings of a very (so) contented business owner.?

Risk is good

That’s a big statement coming from me. HUGE. I hate risk. Loathe it. I’m a solicitor after all. I’m trained to analyse risk with the sole purpose of minimising it into oblivion.??

But it doesn’t work like that in business. You need to be less Perry Mason and more the lads from Jackass (remember that show?) In business, if you don’t take a risk, growth will elude you. Calculated risks are necessary for success, even if they make you more uncomfortable than biting a fork.??

For us here at So Contented, the time has come to push go on growth, and we’re more than ready. So as the saying goes, watch this space and pray I don’t come out in hives.?

A change of mindset?

Do you ever look over your business journey and think, whooaa, how did I get here? I do it all the time, and it turns out there’s something I fear more than risk. And that’s stagnation (you see? Growth??).?

As a team, we’ve discovered skills and passions we never knew we had. Our emphasis on brand voice is something we’re building on every day. We’re so good at it and we’re no longer afraid to say it. We’ve started working with some incredible brands. Global brands. Brands we’ve grown up with and admire. Clients are listening to, and investing in, our expertise and it’s such a great feeling.?

Ultimately, growth requires you to change your mindset. That all important transition from the small business mindset to the bigger business mindset. At So Contented we’ve taken the decision to stop thinking anything less than massive (is it just me or is it hot in here? ??)

Hone in on individual skills?

You’ve heard people talk about your people being your biggest asset. It’s true of course, but let’s get a little more granular. As a business, the RIGHT people are your best asset. Sometimes, really good, really talented people won’t be the right fit for your business. That’s just the way the cookie crumbles.?

Very often though, it’s not that someone isn’t the right fit for your business, they’re just the right person in the wrong job. So what’s a business owner to do? Well here’s what we do. We take a look at people as individuals. What are they good at? What are they passionate about? What is it that makes them shine? What kinds of things do they want to learn??

This isn’t about fitting square pegs into round holes, it’s about creating differently shaped spaces in order to create your dream team.?

Half the time, I have absolutely no idea what’s going on?

True story.?

But this isn’t about me being incompetent as a business owner, that’s a whole other blog (just kidding ?? ??). Trust me when I say I know what I need to know, but some of the other stuff, well that’s in very competent hands. There are people in our team who really make So Contented run like clockwork. People who keep the cogs turning and things running just as they should.?

There are outsourced partners who do the bits I know I’m no good at. There are excellent writers that are a better fit for some projects than I am. There’s another director whose blue sky thinking helps my neurotic, overthinking brain let go and fly a kite every now and again.?

Being a business owner doesn’t mean knowing everything. It means trusting that if you don’t know the answer, someone in your incredible team of humans absolutely will.?

Sometimes, I have to make the tea?

Here at So Contented, if you’re not going to make a team brew, then we’ve got nothing.?

We exist to look after each other, not wait on each other. Being a business owner doesn’t come with the privilege of not mucking in and putting the kettle on from time to time, we don’t have that kind of culture and nor do we want it ??

I think that’s it for now. To be fair I’ve outlined some pretty big lessons. Running a business means every day’s a school day, and you’ve got to keep your mind open to new things, new people and new experiences.?

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, but it’s pretty damn close.