Lessons Learned after 5 Years as a Business Owner
Niraj Kapur
Overcome sales objections, ghosting, prospecting challenges and generate more sales. Personalised 1:1 Sales & LinkedIn coaching. Group Training also available. 30 years international selling experience.
My business is 5 years old.
If I knew how hard it would be back to run my own business, the sleepless nights, being broke for the first two years, losing the respect of my peers, and losing my guaranteed salary and pension each month, would I have continued…?
Yes.
Because you will always learn more as a business owner than you ever will working for somebody else. Here’s the valuable lessons I have learned since I started.
1.No matter how experienced you are, you’re starting over. You can’t rely on a corporate brand anymore. Your previous success doesn’t matter. Put your ego aside and get to work.
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2. Most of your friends and family will spend more time liking posts of cats and dogs than they will support your business.
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3. Don't take your customers for granted or they will get rid of you.
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4. Pick up the phone when negotiating a deal. Never negotiate by email.
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5. Learning to speak in public is one of the best ways to generate new leads and one of the most valuable skills you can have.
?6. Kindness is one of the most underrated qualities in business.
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7. Don’t Discount. You won’t enjoy the world and the client rarely appreciates you.
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8. If a huge corporate asks you to work for free and in return, they will “put in a good word for you” NEVER accept it. You’re disposable to large companies and they will forget about you by tomorrow morning.
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9. Social proof matters. Always ask for recommendations when you overdeliver to a client
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10. Most people can’t use LinkedIn properly. Don’t be like most people.
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11. Listen to a frustrated client. Don’t judge, just listen. You will be amazed by what you will learn.
12. Putting your phone in airplane mode 3 times a day for 90 minutes at a time. It’s a gamechanger.
13. Never stop caring - whatever you give to the world, positive or negative, comes back to you.
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14. Some people will resent your success no matter how nice you are - don’t hate them. Hate is too easy an emotion. Smile and move on.
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15. Standing out from the competition took me years to have the courage to do and it’s the best business move I ever made.
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16. Prospect every day, even if it’s just for 1 hour a day.
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17. If you don’t invest in yourself, why would anyone invest in you?
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Here’s how to work with me in 2023:
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?? 1:1 coaching to elevate your career to another level.
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?? Group sales training or group LinkedIn training to build your staff confidence, help them progress and get better results.
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?? Speak at your annual conference or Sales Kick off to educate, inform and advise you on how to maximise selling and LinkedIn.
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Send me a DM or email:?[email protected]
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My new book, Business Growth: Lessons Learned From Divorce, Dating and Falling in Love is available on Amazon?
amazon.co.uk/dp/1739184505
Leadership & Career Development & Mindset Coach to High-Performing, Mid to Senior-Level Tech Industry Professionals - helping them to secure their next Promotion & Step into Leadership | Keynote & TEDx Speaker
1 年Invaluable lessons Niraj Kapur, and so much resonance with them ALL! My big insight here is 'Put my phone on airplane mode for 90 mins 3 x day'...hhmmm I might start with 2 x :) Does it count when I do that whilst on Client coaching calls on zoom? 'Don't discount' - OMG sometimes so hard to resist, yet we pay with the consequences - this was a HUGE learning for me!
40 Under 40 CPA | Tax Slayer | Business Strategist
1 年I wish you continued success, Niraj!
Brutal but fair!
I make Podcasts Fun, Easy, and Stress-Free for you???? Operations Leader by day ? Cricketer by evening ?? ? Top 10% of Podcasts in the ?? ? Speaker ? Podcast Coach for Busy Lives
1 年That's a lot and are great tips Niraj! Public speaking is one of the best ways to communicate with your audience, so this skill should be learned as you start building your business.