What I didn’t know was that being an Entrepreneur and small business owner can be tough work! But I was going to find out about that very quickly! So here is the quick version…. Started with a bit of money, got investors, had a vision, had a solid system, build the company with mediocre employees, then learned how to have great employees and really build a team environment. We were the first in the areas we chose and filled a need, took action and advertised like crazy and tried new things. We showed the customer we cared, valued our staff and investors, and had TONS of ups and downs until we got it right! It took many years to build it up to what it was and the biggest hurdle and success was finally selling it and letting it all go.

Now this business after year 2 was making great money, and investors were happy, however there were times when things were tight and economics, unforeseen construction, renovations, staff turnover really caused downturns in the business. Trust me there were many struggles as well as many great opportunities for money to be made. The main problem for my partner and I was that it was something we no longer wanted. We realized that it was not our passion and that the industry had a stigma that would take many more years to change. The industry was being regulated and we were what seemed to always be proving that we were indeed a legitimate company helping people and really valued our integrity and ethics in the business. Our vision was to help people and make money however this was not the business that would complete that for us. So regardless of the financial gain we decided to sell and move on to do it again in what was our individual passions.

So what are the lessons learned that you as a small business owner can take away from all of this? Let’s look at it in a list form for easier learning;

1. I was a small business owner with BIG Thinking!

So let’s look at BIG thinking. I had a vision for what I thought a business should look like and I worked towards putting in place all the right things to make it happen. The right backing, finances, business plan because we were going for financing, and we looked at what the competition doing, who were they serving and where was the need. We had a vision of being a million dollar company right from the start and kept that vision strong in our minds.

        2. I had a Solid Systems.

Then it was onto how would we run the company? How is it to be structured? Should it be a partnership or a corporation? What systems could we use that would ensure that we did not lose our shirts. We looked at what kind of system we could run under and developed a back end database program to track and take care of our clients. We made sure we had a solid policy manual (which was also developed further over the years) that would explain how we wanted the company ran for our employees so that they understood what we were asking of them. Then we ensured we gave solid, consistent training and that each office was a replica of the next. Call it a cookie cutter method if you will.

       3. We took Smart, Deliberate, Quick Action when needed.

Being able to adapt to changing market and not wallow in problems is vital for an entrepreneur. Working smart, having good systems and taking deliberate action was an important factor to being able to keep up with the giants in the industry. We advertised and marketed like crazy and did some amazing things like huge billboards and pre-event marketing that had clients lined up at the doors on opening day.

      4. We were able to solidify great relationships.

We created communication with the competition where we shared ideas and information within limits. We created additional product sources and had great relationships with who we were working with, and those relationships helped give us credibility in the industry. We kept the philosophy of win/win ever present in our minds.

      5. We stopped trying to do it all on our own. Let go of Ego.

When we started to learn that in order to run a successful company we needed to trust, and let our employees do what they were best at doing, that is when things began to fall into place. We had to leave our egos at the door and understand that we had taught them, and that even though they needed us still, we had to loosen the strings in order for them to flourish and show how much they valued the company, and what they were doing. We used the skills of each employee and they grew better for it.

       6. We showed we cared, and added value to our customers.

We encouraged our customers, showed them we cared, gave referral bonuses, talked with our customers, advertised and made them feel like they were not alone. We heard more stories about people’s lives then I will share here, but what it did was let people from all walks of life know that they were valued as people.

        7.  We understood the numbers.

We had done our business plan and knew what we needed to grow. We had a balanced framework with our product, our marketing and our financial operations. Whenever we lost touch with that again, it showed. Understanding where you stand, and what you need to achieve your end goal is important and really the key.

        8. We were great problem solvers.

Being a great problem solver is important. Issues come up in any business and knowing what you will do and seeing your end result helps make it easier to predict how you will react and what steps you can take to rectify the situation.

       9. We were always learning and watching our industry.

We knew what was changing in the industry, we focused on what was working, and we made sure if we could that we were the first. We showed value to our customers even though our price may have been different than others.

10.  We had perseverance.

We stayed our course, and were committed to the business. Sometimes this was a difficult thing to do but in the end overall it was a success because we did have perseverance.

Now, did we always do the right thing? No absolutely not! But we did have the ability to see the mistakes and attempt to fix them. Did our employees always love us? No not always, but we did care about people and did our best to create a team environment where they felt included and valued and when we let that slip, it showed in performance from the team.  The things we learned from this business have been incredible for future success and have allowed me to now help others in their journey for fulfillment in their lives. For more on this subject, you can find it in my 10 Complete Secrets to Business Success, or my Business Blockbusters Now product coming out this Spring. For more information please visit my websites and let me know how I can help you create your million dollar business.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? Feel Free. Simply include this blurb with it: Darcelle Runciman is a Mentor, Author and CEO of Strategic Biz Builder.  Darcelle  mentors entrepreneurs and small business owners how to use systems and their brilliance to increase their profits and create mo*ney making businesses by showing you steps to take to gain clarity and retain that balance that we all strive for. Darcelle works with groups, through tele-classes, through her online products, and her Adventure Mentoring Programs. For more information visit www.darcellerunciman.com and sign up for her Fr*ee audio on 12 -Tips to Profiting in Business, and her Fr*ee Ezine “Inspired Business”. Also check out www.strategicbizbuilder.com

Look at successful people what do they have in common? Every success comes down to confidence. They have confidence in who they are and what they do. Developing your confidence really are the keys to achieving anything you want. So how do we gain the confidence to achieve success and maintain a balance to our lives all at the same time?

Acquiring Confidence is about making choices and it comes down to 4 things:

1.      Understanding your Brilliance.

Understanding your “Brilliance” and what you are passionate about will allow you to apply more of what you enjoy doing into your work and will help build your confidence. I talk more about this in my ebook “Discover your Brilliance.” Knowing what you want and then having a plan to get there will help you fulfill your passion and inevitably lead to your success.

2.      Choosing to be Happy. Savour the simple things.

Happiness is a choice. Learning how to stay happy on the inside while going through a difficult time takes will and determination but it is possible. You may not enjoy the negative situation but if you choose happiness and peace, it will guide you through the process with more skill and ease. Happiness is what you choose to feel not matter what knocks you off course, and gives you the determination to get right back on again.

3.      Gratitude. Being thankful for what life gives you.

Being grateful for every opportunity, every relationship, every friendship will in the end help to increase your happiness and that will spill over and come across in how you feel about yourself. Your confidence will show and people will gravitate towards you. Being grateful shows the universe, spirit, and God, that we really care about the world and are appreciative of our lives. It is a choice to be grateful.

4.      Exercise. Without it we don’t release stress in our body.

Getting proper exercise and eating healthy truly reduces stress on our body. After a good workout we feel good, our body relaxes and we enjoy our day much better than just sitting at a desk. It helps our sleep patterns, and adds to our happiness, and relaxation.

These 4 steps help us to create more balance in our lives which gives us strength to move forward through whatever trials we have going on in our lives. It leads us down the path to happiness and growth. Confidence in believing in yourself and that knowing if you do, others will follow.  

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? Feel Free. Simply include this blurb with it: Darcelle Runciman is a Mentor, Author and CEO of Strategic Biz Builder.  Darcelle  mentors entrepreneurs and small business owners how to use systems and their brilliance to increase their profits and create mo*ney making businesses by showing you steps to take to gain clarity and retain that balance that we all strive for. Darcelle works with groups, through tele-classes, through her online products, and her Adventure Mentoring Programs. For more information visit www.darcellerunciman.com and sign up for her Fr*ee audio on 12 -Tips to Profiting in Business, and her Fr*ee Ezine “Inspired Business”. Also check out www.strategicbizbuilder.com

A big part of many of our decisions on whether or not to change is based on fear. There are times where it is our limited beliefs. What is holding us back can be their fear around those beliefs. For example if our fear is change then perhaps changing one thing could change our lives but just knowing that is enough to keep us from moving forward to the next level. We tell ourselves so many things to at times negate us from moving forward. Understanding if the beliefs you are having are real or imagined can lead into many insights on what the truth for you is, and possibly what your true real purpose is. So what does it take to find out your beliefs and if they are holding you back?

Focus….

The Power of Focus can be incredible and can lead to great success. So while I believe that women have a special gift of networking and relationship building, I believe that one of a man’s strength that I often see is in the gift of focus that I believe we can learn from.

So take time to focus on what is limiting your belief system. Look to experts to help you get past those blocks be it a hypnotist or a guide you can work with to look into deep rooted beliefs that may be holding you back. Once you have focused in on those items and conquer them through persistence and good habits, you will then find your own truth and path. Enjoying the process is the best part because you will learn so much about yourself along the way.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? Feel Free. Simply include this blurb with it: Darcelle Runciman is Author, Mentor and CEO of DarcelleRunciman.com.  Darcelle mentors entrepreneurs and small business owners how to use systems and their brilliance to increase their profits and create mo*ney making businesses by showing you steps to take to gain clarity and retain that balance that we all strive for. Darcelle works with groups, through tele-classes, through her online products, and her Adventure Mentoring Programs. For more information visit www.darcellerunciman.com and sign up for her Fr*ee audio on 12 -Tips to Profiting in Business, and her Fr*ee Ezine “Inspired Business”.

We walk through life so often with such a weight on our shoulders and many times it is a weight we place on ourselves of fear, shame, feeling like we are alone… when in fact this is not the case. I loved the story today because despite the debilitating disease he is triumphing.

In the realm of dispair there is always hope, caring, love, support you just have to be open to it.

I have a friend who for the second time has fought cancer and I couldn’t be more proud of her! Hearing it was completely gone was very surreal for me having lost a good friend already once. A blessing indeed… What saved her was her outlook on life and a determination to succeed in educating herself to eat and live healthy, and take care of her health on her terms and to always search for answers. I too have faced such a fight in my life for 26 years quietly battling Endometriosis and finally free! Why do I share this after all this time? It was once said that in adversity lies opportunity. I believe that once a person goes through the fires it changes you. For myself, like my friend and similar to Montel, I to this day say that it was the greatest gift as a learning and a wake up of what life is really about. I changed that last day of the old self 10 years ago. It is how we handle that adversity that tells the story, it is in that pain that you can really feel the inspirational support of what it truly feels like to be alive. What a wonderful gift of learning life can be about if we have our eyes wide open and willing to listen.  Mahatma Gandhi once said “The future depends on what we do in the present” So remember to celebrate life NOW and Live a Life on Fire!

Darcelle Runciman is a Business Mentor and Author check out her blog or free articles at www.darcellerunciman.com