Setting up a business is not for the faint of heart.  Over the last two months or so, while setting up Engage Counselling, I have learned a ton about myself and the ins and outs of what having my own business entails.  While I learned many, many things during the set up, here are the most important: 

1.  Find your people. Entrepreneurship can be lonely, and I learned quickly that I need to find and nurture my circle of supportive friends and colleagues. Whether it was hashing out logo and business card ideas with my artist spouse, having coffee with colleagues who have been in the business for many years, sharing short and long term goals with an accountability partner, or sharing throw pillow woes with a friend, my people played a major role in keeping me going through the ups and downs.

2.  Perseverance is king- just keep going.  Originally my business plan was a 30 day one, which looking back, was a bit ambitious, but certainly had me working my tail off.  When it was looking like everything would not be set up within 30 days, I started to lose focus and feel overwhelmed.  There were so many bits and pieces to tackle, and so many logistics that I just had not thought of.  At many points, I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel, it was all so fuzzy and uncertain.  But I kept my head down and plodded through the muck as gross and awful as it felt.  And surprise….light came at the end of the tunnel.

3.  Have your “why” firmly entrenched, and refer back to it often. Why are you going to the trouble of setting up a business?  Does it tie into your values, how you wish to live your life, the qualities of living that are important to you?  For me, I kept coming back to the values that are most important to me—having time with my kids in the morning and after school, living creatively and authentically, and taking care of my energy levels on my own schedule.  Your why will be different than mine and will serve as a motivator to keep you going when it all seems like too much.

Setting up a business has been an adventure, and I encourage you to see your life as an adventure, whether setting up a business or not.  Have some fun and be curious!  And never forget the power of surrounding yourself with supportive people, persevering through the uncertain bits, and reminding yourself of your “why”.

Until next time,