A Year to Remember: 9 reflections and learnings from our first year in business

1.    Have a sense of humour

The last 12 months has definitely reinforced the need for a good sense of humour. Running a business is not smooth sailing, you need to be prepared for disappointments and sometimes laughter really is the best medicine. My choices of accommodation have been one of my primary sources for the need for good humour. I’ve stayed in a hotel for 3 weeks with no running hot water. I stayed in a motel with no shower doors. I was locked out of one place for about 3 hours after they shut the external doors. I’ve had some strange and inappropriate requests for free physiotherapy services. I even spent a week in a converted homeless shelter (true story). In so many situations this year, humour has got me through. I’ve also been lucky to be surrounded by some very funny people! It’s important to take business seriously, but maybe not too seriously.

2.    Your employees are your business

I know now more than ever how employing the right people and building strong teams contributes to business success. As a manager, your ability to ensure quality, monitor performance and maintain relationships across a broad geographical area can be challenging. However, if you have the right people that job is significantly easier. Over the last 12 months I’ve been lucky enough to have a group of people join our team who are passionate about what they do, which is reflected in their work every day. They’ve contributed to building better systems, innovative programs and strengthening our relationships with clients. We’ve tried to create a supportive environment, with open communication, a focus on mental health, a culture which supports ideas and innovation, inclusivity, transparency and place which recognises and celebrates individual and team successes. Building a great team culture will continue be a strong focus for us at Guide. Each member of staff is the face of our business and has a vital role to play in ensuring the ongoing success of the business.

3.    Build a strong support network

Running a business can be challenging. It’s important to have a strong network who can help you with clarity, reassurance and guidance. I’ve been fortunate to have an incredibly supportive partner who has weathered the highs and lows, often from afar. Our leadership team has been instrumental in ensuring a clear business direction, whilst offering comical relief and an attentive ear as we work through challenges. I’ve also had unbelievable support from a broad range of people who I know are equally passionate about seeing the business succeed. These people know who they are, and have played a key role in driving growth and providing confidence during our first year of business.

4.    Learn to delegate

Much to my dismay, it turns out you can’t do everything. As a moderate control freak with tendencies which verge on OCD, it can be difficult for me to step away from tasks. I’ve learnt that to be successful, you need to recognise people’s strengths and empower them to use those strengths. Not only does it make you a stronger company, it also makes life a lot easier on yourself. To be honest, I’m still working on this one!

5.    Be tireless

To create success in business, you need to be tireless. I never thought I’d say this, but 9 to 5 has become 8 to 12, and I don’t mean PM. And do you know what, I absolutely love it. Sure, it can be tiring, but when you’re working towards your goals and you know that you’re creating a positive impact on the lives of both your clients and your staff, it’s definitely worth it.

6.    Project company values inwards and outwards

It’s important to have strong company values. They help to educate staff on performance expectations, they provide insight on your business to clients, and they assist in making key operational decisions. At least that’s what I thought. During our first managers meeting, I learned one of the key lessons of the year from our Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Operations Managers. They highlighted that our values need to also be reflected in our decision-making processes and interactions with our own staff. We now ensure that our RISE values of Reliability, Innovation, Social Justice and Empowerment are reflected on all of our decisions, whether they be internal or external.

7.    Partner with organisations who share your vision

As an external provider, there’s no greater feeling than to partner with an organisation who shares your excitement and passion. Furthermore, organisations who are keen to assist in providing the infrastructure that helps you to achieve your company’s vision and goals. We’ve been very fortunate to achieve this with our partner organisations this year, and I look forward to continuing to partner with new organisations and strengthen existing relationships in the future.

8.    Take time for yourself

Although I think you need to be tireless from day to day and week to week, sometimes you just need to take a break. I’ve always used exercise as a way of helping me to maintain a healthy outlook and this process has only strengthened my resolve. It can be easy to become overwhelmed with a seemingly endless workload, but I still think it’s important to achieve a work-life balance. As I’ve consistently worked away over the past 12 months, my partner has consistently enforced “non-work time” which usually involves some kind of fun activity. I think this time is extremely important to ensure that you continue to take a positive mindset into your working week and to thus to ensure good decision making.

9.    Celebrate the wins

Successors help to make the hard work worth-while! So, I think it’s important to celebrate when you can. The team at Guide celebrated a couple of Fridays ago. It was a great opportunity to share stories, recognise our individual and group achievements, and reflect on our very first and very successful year of business.

I can't wait to see wait to see where we take Guide over the next 12 months. I'm already extremely proud of what we've achieved. I know that we'll continue to take the right approach to improving service delivery to the aged care industry. Thank you to everyone who's contributed to our success so far.