Starting a business, the things I have learned so far….. well one of the joys of running your own business is that you are in complete control. However one of the challenges of running your own business is also that you are in complete control….
In the past, if I had a question about a p&l, I asked the finance department. If I needed a paragraph or two for a press release, I asked the marketing team. If I wanted to post a letter, I went to the stationery cupboard to find an envelope.
Now, I have to remember all the things that I didn’t have to do when working for a big company and work out how to do them…. or at least, find really capable people who can teach me!
One of the things I’ve noticed is that it can be quite hard to stop working for yourself. Saturday mornings / Sunday afternoons suddenly become opportunities to just cross another task off my list. I’m writing some of our content and I find weekends a better space for that, as I’m not distracted by the inbox or other people’s needs.
However, that’s not quite what my family thought would happen in our new world of Noodle Fuel. So I do need to learn to stop working too.
I also have to impose even more self discipline than when working for someone else. It’s up to me whether I do admin or write a blog or finish proofing a manuscript. So it can be harder to attack the jobs that are less enjoyable.
It’s also up to me whether I put in some laundry or walk the dog. So there are multiple distractions especially when the only person who can take me to task is me.
However, there’s nothing like the satisfaction you feel when you’ve managed to use InDesign for the first time, or have reconciled your new financial accounting software at month end or have opened an email with the most amazing illustrations.
I’m loving running my own business and can’t wait to find out what more I need to learn!
Leave a Reply