I’ve started my own business in my late forties, after my troubling experience in the field of social care. Loved my work but hated my job, and it was really taking a toll out of me, so I wanted hard to get out, as quickly as possible.
For me, it was kind of a “now or never” situation, either I am in social care or out of it, no in-between. So I’ve pushed myself into making a decision, and quit.
I’m not saying I have any regrets because of this decision, as I’ve made the right choice. Maybe it was premature, but hey, we all make mistakes sometimes. From that moment until now, these are some of the things I’ve learned and I wish I had known right from the start.
Don’t Rush
Back then I had just started to seriously consider the idea about running my own business in the field of pet care, and I could really picture myself as a petpreneur. As a pet parent and lover, I had a pretty good understanding of what pets and their “parents” need and which services I could offer.
But, that was all. No business plan, no analysis, nothing. It took a year for me to get my business on its feet. A year during which I had to settle my finances, with no steady income.
From the perspective that I now have, it would have been wiser if I had kept that dreaded job for at least a few more months and got myself really prepared for the switch, both financially and strategically. It would have saved both my partner and myself from all the stress and all the troubles that we experienced over that period.
Nobody Said It Was Supposed to Be Easy
When I started with my business, I realised that most of my daily activities had nothing to do with pets – it was either some administrative work or interacting with my clients and employees. Surely, it felt great when a satisfied client recognised my efforts in providing them with the best service for their little loved ones, and I loved the exchange of thoughts about the ways how to improve it.
But some of the tasks I had to manage myself, as I still couldn’t afford all the employees I needed, bored me to death - all the bookkeeping, invoicing, or processing payroll. On the other hand, I was worried sick because of the cash flow issues, until I finally managed to overcome them with some serious budgeting. I never thought it was going to be easy, but it felt really hard.
Don’t Be Shy about Your Business
I don’t consider myself to be a shy person, but I hate to show off or brag. So, even in my private circles, I talked very little about what I was doing. It took me quite a while to realise that I should use every opportunity I have to spread the news about my business, as it can get me more potential clients. I am certain and believe strongly that cats and dogs under my care are safe and happy, and so are their owners. So why not try different ways to get word of mouth going and make more of them happy, and provide for myself and my employees at the same time?
If the opportunity is right, and you think that people you are talking to could somehow find the information about your business relevant, say a few nice words, as it won't cost a thing.
You Can Never Overestimate Marketing
Still, no matter how good you are at your job, and no matter how perfectly your service fits the needs of your clients, word of mouth is not enough to make your business grow.
You have to be everywhere nowadays just to get yourself noticed by your potential clients, and you need to invest some of your time and money into marketing. And if you’re like me, you’re not quite on good terms with marketing, so it helps to think about it more like nurturing good relationships with your clients.
Reframing can sometimes get you even better results, as you will know exactly what to offer to your clients.
You are happy that your client is so satisfied with your service and keeps coming back for more?
Reward them!
Have good knowledge of all sorts of pet food that the other owners could use too? Blog about it, and share posts on your social media channels.
Do what you can so that those who need that info or your service can find it easier. It’s marketing, and still, it kind of doesn’t feel like that as it’s not pushy or too salesy.
You Can’t Know It All
Be ready to accept your limits, as when it comes to certain things, you will soon be bumping into them. And the sooner you recognise them, the less your business will suffer, and the faster it will grow.
I’ve tried to do a bit of marketing on my own, and it got my business some attention. A blog post every now and then, a Facebook and Instagram update once a week or so, an ad in the local newspaper, or a thousand flyers - that was my limit.
And it was enough for getting started, but that was all.
I didn’t have a website, just like more than the third of SMBs, and I had no idea what SEO or mobile responsiveness was until I recognised I had reached my plateau and decided to pay for a more strategic and comprehensive approach, and pretty soon got some fantastic results.
I wish I had been more aware of my limits while choosing my company setup, and asked for professional advice. Deciding whether I would be a sole proprietor, or go for the LLC or the corporation was all Greek to me, and I still wonder on which ground I made my choice. But I did. Along the way, I learned some basic differences between these options, unfortunately, from my own mistakes. But I’ve learned my lesson well – you don’t know it all and you never will, so hire or consult.
You’ll Need Support
When you run your own business, you need to be strong.
Strong enough for yourself, your employees and your family, as well as capable of delivering on your promises and always improving your service.
And you can be strong for a while, but no one can be that strong forever.
You’ll need support in order to continue being strong so try connecting with others who deal with the same or similar challenges, and create your own business support network.
Be there to help others when they’re going through a rough patch, and don’t hesitate to ask for their support when you need it. Sometimes you’ll get a piece of great advice or hear a helpful experience, while sometimes a simple but empathic “I feel you,” coming from someone who has been through it all, will get you back on track.
I don’t expect you to learn from my mistakes, as I’ve hardly learned a lot from the mistakes of others. Just a friendly reminder about what to consider to make it easier for yourself when you start treading uncharted waters.