CREATE: How to overcome your fears and shortcomings in your small business
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After COVID-19 hit, it was fairly common to see people who are fearing their job security. It doesn’t really matter what the industry is, everyone seems to be stretched a bit thin.
Since so many people have been facing furloughs or lay-offs, I’ve also seen many people taking the plunge of opening their own business. Most people are looking to replace their income while others are hoping to cushion any fallout they might experience in the future.
While many job hunters are taking the leap, many are also nervous about delving into the new environment. Freelancing and working for yourself is a risky move. Opening your own small business is a great endeavor but it can be daunting to see everything that you need to accomplish this task.
This can be especially true when you are looking to switch industries. If you’re used to working in an office or a professional workplace, it can be an adjustment working from home and devising your own routine.
When I wanted to start my small creative business, I was terrified. I was used to writing and being immaculate with my writing, but being a graphic designer was and remains to be my passion. It doesn’t mean I still had some doubts going into my own business startup.
I relied on a few books to help me plan and organize my creative tendencies into a business plan. One of the best books I found was CREATE An Intensive Biz Playbook & Planner: Scale Your Online Business, Create Explosive Growth and Build a Brand You Crave. Not only was I able to make a great business, but I was able to make a marketable brand as well.
But regardless of creating a plan, I had to squish some of my own self-doubts. You will know when it comes to your small business, where your strengths lie and where they do not. Here’s a three-step process to identify and overcome your shortcomings within your business.
Overcoming Shortcomings Step 1: Identify your fears, vices, and poor abilities
While this can be an uncomfortable step for a lot of people, identifying your shortcoming is a great start to overcoming them. You might find it difficult to admit a fault about something in your business, like what if a client says I ask for too much money or if you have a difficult time focusing on one task at a time, but this is the best step to take first so you know what to tackle first.
Taking an inventory of your shortcomings in your business will help you understand what should be prioritized for you and throughout your business. If there is something you are not talented at, your next steps could be investing time to make it work or outsourcing that branch of your business. Seeing what you are lacking for your business will be the best step in determining what you can do about improving your business.
Overcoming Shortcomings Step 2: How can you counteract your shortcomings?
Now that you know what your shortcomings are, you will have to decide how to counteract them. There are many ways you can do this step. Some people will be able to outsource certain tasks to other people, but other shortcomings will have to be dealt with on a more personal level.
It can be easy to give a task to someone with more credibility but when dealing with a vice or a fear, you will have to determine why you are acting or thinking that way before pushing it off to the side on someone else. Allow yourself time to understand why you are approaching certain tasks or your business as a whole with these shortcomings and develop a plan and goal for how to counteract them before they become a liability.
Overcoming Shortcomings Step 3: What plans or investments should I make?
Now that you have a plan in place, you should be able to plan on investments you need to make for your business. Investments can revolve around how to spend money, time, or resources to improve your business. When you think about investments in your business, you are putting effort into an area of your business to make it stronger. Enacting your plan is a type of investment, but you might need tools or resources to make it effective for your business.
There are also many ways you can plan out your investments. It might be a lump sum or a continual payment to invest enough time and effort into getting the desired results, but if you plan accordingly, you should be able to get a valuable return for your efforts.
Now that you know what your shortcomings are, you will have to decide how to counteract them. There are many ways you can do this step. Some people will be able to outsource certain tasks to other people, but other shortcomings will have to be dealt with on a more personal level.
It can be easy to give a task to someone with more credibility but when dealing with a vice or a fear, you will have to determine why you are acting or thinking that way before pushing it off to the side on someone else. Allow yourself time to understand why you are approaching certain tasks or your business as a whole with these shortcomings and develop a plan and goal for how to counteract them before they become a liability.
Overcoming Shortcomings Step 3: What plans or investments should I make?
Now that you have a plan in place, you should be able to plan on investments you need to make for your business. Investments can revolve around how to spend money, time, or resources to improve your business. When you think about investments in your business, you are putting effort into an area of your business to make it stronger. Enacting your plan is a type of investment, but you might need tools or resources to make it effective for your business.
There are also many ways you can plan out your investments. It might be a lump sum or a continual payment to invest enough time and effort into getting the desired results, but if you plan accordingly, you should be able to get a valuable return for your efforts.
You’ve done a lot for one portion of CREATE An Intensive Biz Playbook & Planner: Scale Your Online Business, Create Explosive Growth and Build a Brand You Crave, but finding your Zone of Genius will help you discover your process when you confront problems and branding awareness in a systematic way.
Do you feel like you’ve achieved your Zone of Genius? What other steps have you taken to ensure your business’ brand message is clear to your clients?
Do you need additional help to establish your brand message and overcome your shortcomings to find your Zone of Genius? Join my e-newsletter to learn more about how to start your business and finding your Zone of Genius.
