2010 will be a Very, Very Good Year for Entrepreneurs
February 15, 2010 by Yvette Vignando
By Yvette Vignando, www.happychild.com.au
I have good news for me and for you. Phil Ruthven who has spent decades charting the growth and change in Australian business says that 2010 is going to be a “very, very good year for entrepreneurs, no question.” Fantastic!
2010 is the year that I’m launching my online business www.happychild.com.au, a website for parents about raising children with emotional intelligence. I’m excited, a little apprehensive, impatient to get started, mad keen to succeed and loving all the learning and challenge that comes with starting a new business.
In each blog post, I’ll share with you information, tips, books and websites that are helping me on my entrepreneur’s journey. Please do the same; I’d love to hear your ideas too. ABN Startup and Growth Members: I bet you’ve got so much to share and the ABN is a wonderful supportive community in which to do this.
2010 is going to be a “very, very good year for entrepreneurs, no question.”
Surround Yourself with Honest Believers
As I’ve had a few hiccups along the way, including a website that never got launched, I’ve found it’s crucial to be surrounded by people who believe in me and my business idea. Even though I’m convinced that my business will be fabulous, it’s so valuable to have the constant encouragement and feedback of friends, family and mentors to keep me going when things inevitably go wrong. These ‘believers’ as I call them, have been honest and generous in also pointing out where I may need to rethink my plans, and have helped me solve numerous challenges over the past year. An example of a great source of this support has been my pod member from MentorNet, Alycia Edgar. Make time for lunches, coffees and phone calls with your ‘believers’, and don’t forget to let them know how important they are to your success.
Read Widely
If you’re like me, you love good books about developing your business and books that inspire you to keep working towards your goals. There are so many great books; here are three I’ve been reading lately:
- Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk – about building your personal brand, and in particular doing it using social media. It’s a high energy book, informative, engaging and motivating.
- You Tube for Business by Michael Miller – plenty of practical detail about how to leverage online video to market your business.
- Getting Things Done by David Allen – systems to use if you want to be more organised and more productive in your day and in your office.
And just a reminder, Phil Ruthven from IBIS World says “the conditions are never going to be better… if you wanted to start a business from scratch” – I’m definitely a believer in that!
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Yvette Vignando - www.happychild.com.auYvette is pursuing her passion – to take action that helps children develop great social and emotional skills as a foundation for a happy and successful life. Formerly a lawyer and then successful executive coach specialising in Emotional Intelligence, Yvette was encouraged by her experience of MentorNet to launch her business – a website for parents that publishes practical and engaging information about raising children with emotional intelligence. Yvette looks forward to sharing the challenges and successes of her experience as she navigates her way through the adventures of launching a website, and tackles online sales and marketing, an evolving business plan, and the growing universe of social media. Yvette hopes that by following her personal and professional development as an entrepreneur you will also be inspired to follow your passions.
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Hi Yvette
You are spot on about “believers”. They help you gain clarity when you are feeling overwhelmed, they give you the hard word when you need it and they are there to celebrate and highlight the wins no matter how small you think they are. I call them my champions, and they are usually a good friend also in business who assists you with the ups and downs and understands the nuttiness of it all. (thanks Yvette)
I also have another book recommendation for you: Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith. I am on the second read of this book and have picked up even more tips the second time around. A great book about the new world of business.
Rereading these great books (I am on my fourth read of “Crush It”) can also give you additional insight. In subsequent reads of books your knowledge has developed and can often interpret text differently than the first time around. So just because you have already read that business book on your bookshelf does not mean you can’t learn from it again.
Indeed, surrounding yourself with those who believe in success can help you become successful in all your endeavors. But please do not forget to still be realistic and weigh the odds. Entrepreneurial success, like any kind of success, is not just all about luck and positive thinking – it needs cautious actions.
Thanks Alycia, I’ll get on to Trust Agents.
And I’m right with you ‘Mentor Club’ about not relying on luck and positive thinking for starting up a business. Having a robust business plan (and thanks to MentorNet I have one) is the start of a long journey of planning, researching, reflection and revising. In my previous professional life I was a lawyer so caution goes with the territory for me. My real challenge has been to leap into the realm of informed risk-taking and I certainly hope it pays off!
I love to read books about how other people have succeeded in following their passions and created successful businesses so keep the recommendations rolling in please.
I’ll keep you posted on how my cautious optimism goes!