Five things I wish I knew when I started my own business

I started my Virtual Assistant business 3 months ago, and it’s ALREADY been a journey. I’ve learnt a lot and need to learn so much more.

Here’s 5 things I wish I knew when I started my business.

There will be ups and there will be downs

I’m a big planner and sadly not everything always goes to plan. Some weeks there will be no shows for discovery calls. My inbox will be oddly quiet. Then other weeks will be filled with great work and amazing people and I’ll be loving it! Remember to take everything as it comes and keep on going. It’s all learning and all worth it. As time goes by you’ll get used to the change in flux. You’ll even start to find excitement in not always knowing what’s coming around the corner. Check out one of my previous blog posts Riding the wave: How I deal with the highs and lows of starting my first business . In this post I go into even more detail about riding the wave.

Own your confidence

You’ve bet on yourself for a reason. Do yourself a favour and put your all into what you’re doing. Make sure to own it. With this your confidence will shine through. Also remember that people are asking you for your help, they are paying you for your experience and time. If that doesn’t give you a burst of confidence, I don’t know what will.

Know your why

Keep reminding yourself why you’ve started your business. Why do you put the time in that you do? What keeps you going? Knowing this will help you get through the tough times. You didn’t just create this business for the sake of it. You created this business because you believe everyone deserves support and connection and you can provide that in your own special way.

Your time is valuable

You can’t always be a people pleaser. You can’t always go the extra mile. Be confident in your abilities and the fact that your time IS valuable. Make sure to be paid for the time you put in, don’t be underpaid and don’t compare your cost to others.

Protect yourself

There are risks and challenges that come with setting up your own business. So protect yourself as best as you can. Here’s a few ways you can have your own back:

Create a contract

Contracts are extremely important to have in place, especially when working with someone new. Contracts protect you and your client. They are there to prevent confusion and misunderstandings. As well as this, they’re also a record of commitment, they ensure payment and serve as a record of rights, responsibilities and obligations.

Do your finances

Be hot on your invoices, outgoings and taxes. Make sure you know what’s what and where everything is going. Taxes are a big thing when you work for yourself. Put money aside every time you receive payment for an invoice to cover your taxes.

Say no

Saying no can sometimes be hard, but it’s important. Don’t let your priorities and focuses fall by the wayside because you’ve said yes to too much.

Set boundaries

Have boundaries in place. Understand your capacity and how far you want to push it. You can easily get into the cycle of overworking, so have a plan. I started my business as an opportunity to grow, so I’m reserving at least one day a week to focus on myself and business.

Rest

You’re not going to create the work you want if you’re burnt out. Make sure you have time to chill. You’re now in a position where you can decide how your day is going to look (which is amazing!), so work hard but give yourself the rest you need to create the best work you can.

Let me know what you wish you knew when you started your business. Remember, starting your own business is exciting. Make sure you go for it! ✨