Thanks to hard work, dedication, the support of my family and community, my business is growing and thriving, now with some years under my belt as a business owner I'd like to share some of the business decisions I've made that I feel have made my business successful. I hope these tips are helpful to aspiring business owners:
1. Show up to work every day-keep fixed hours and work like your boss is watching you. As a business owner you are the boss not only do you set the example for your employees but your business depends on you being there. In my office complex I've seen many businesses come and go and one common factor is they don't keep consistent hours. I don't get it, when I first started I was at my office from 8am until 8pm. Now my hours are more reasonable, but still I put in more than 40 hours a week.
2. Measure and monitor your income and expenses every month- it is a financial check up for your biz. Monitoring each month allows you to change things if necessary before too much damage is done.
3. Track where your customers come from, ask them how they've heard of you and who referred them to you. This way you know where to spend your advertising budget and who to thank for referrals.
4. Use the latest technology, if you're not tech savy find someone who is and hire them to teach you or do it for you. It might take some time or expense to learn and implement it but once you have it, it will save you time and as a small business owner your time is money.
5. Plan for the future--write your goals and the steps you need to take to accomplish each one--then do each step.
6. Don't be afraid to say no. This is your business and you make the decisions, figure out what types of cases or clients you love and target your marketing to that population so you'll be happy and passionate about going to work every day.
7. Don't forget to save for retirement!
8. Never forget where you came from, give back to your community & the small businesses around you.
1. Show up to work every day-keep fixed hours and work like your boss is watching you. As a business owner you are the boss not only do you set the example for your employees but your business depends on you being there. In my office complex I've seen many businesses come and go and one common factor is they don't keep consistent hours. I don't get it, when I first started I was at my office from 8am until 8pm. Now my hours are more reasonable, but still I put in more than 40 hours a week.
2. Measure and monitor your income and expenses every month- it is a financial check up for your biz. Monitoring each month allows you to change things if necessary before too much damage is done.
3. Track where your customers come from, ask them how they've heard of you and who referred them to you. This way you know where to spend your advertising budget and who to thank for referrals.
4. Use the latest technology, if you're not tech savy find someone who is and hire them to teach you or do it for you. It might take some time or expense to learn and implement it but once you have it, it will save you time and as a small business owner your time is money.
5. Plan for the future--write your goals and the steps you need to take to accomplish each one--then do each step.
6. Don't be afraid to say no. This is your business and you make the decisions, figure out what types of cases or clients you love and target your marketing to that population so you'll be happy and passionate about going to work every day.
7. Don't forget to save for retirement!
8. Never forget where you came from, give back to your community & the small businesses around you.