Remember when you first launched your business? When you applied for your business license and opened a bank account, bought your first business cards and started to feel like a “real” business owner? When you took that leap of faith and claimed your spot among the self-employed and entrepreneurs of the planet? Maybe that day was recent for you, or maybe it happened long ago.
I remember the day clearly. It was 1994 and I had just moved to Virginia as an unemployed new bride. I was keeping myself busy experimenting with the pasta maker and bread machine we received as wedding gifts while I was searching for a J-O-B. In my spare time (when I should have been working out because of all those carbs!), I was freelance writing for a previous employer in Washington, DC. After two months of job hunting, I picked up three new freelance clients and a few unappealing job offers. So I opened my heart to the sign from above and became the president of my very own, small but splendid little company.
I set up an office in the second bedroom of our apartment and set my hours around my husband’s shift at the Naval Shipyard. It was a beautiful life – sleeping in late, spending time with my husband during the day (which was much appreciated after 5 years in a commuter courtship) and writing all evening. And the best part – somebody was actually paying me to do this work! It was dreamy!
When The Passion Fades in Your Business
Somewhere along the line, the passion fizzled. Not in my marriage – in my business! I no longer became excited about every new client (or the challenge of meeting new clients). I found myself greeting the day with boredom (and sometimes resentment) rather than enthusiasm and creativity. The deadlines were piling up and I was missing out on sleep and family fun in order to deliver on time. I was overwhelmed by the bookkeeping, invoicing and paperwork…not to mention the constantly changing technology. But I told myself I was lucky to have the work. That I didn’t have to be happy every minute of the day. That there was a reason it was called “work.”
Then one day I called it quits. Not the business – but the miserable attitude. I decided that if I wasn’t happy in my business, then I had to make some changes. And guess what – that’s the beauty of owning your own business – you GET to make changes when you want to! Now these changes didn’t happen all at once. They materialized over time, with the help of a few inspirational coaches and a lot of spiritual journal writing. But they led me back into a blissful love affair with my business. I’d like to share some of my best strategies with you, in case you’ve lost that loving feeling about your business.
Five Ways to Love Your Business
- Work Only with Clients who Appreciate You. This sounds like a no-brainer, but when it comes to “letting go” of a client, most service-based solopreneurs admit that they struggle with this. When we are treated poorly, unappreciated and even abused by clients, there’s still something that keeps us coming back for more. Maybe we’re afraid there won’t be another client to fill the spot. Or maybe we don’t want to hurt their feelings. Perhaps we’re worried about what others would think if we fired a client. Whatever the reason, and no matter how noble our intentions, the truth is that we are not being of service to others when we are in toxic client relationship. The same holds true for business partners, vendors and even mentors. If it doesn’t “feel right,” then honor that intuition and know that when you let go, you will open up the space for a more nurturing and mutually beneficial relationship.
- Create a Drama-Free Policy in Your Business. Most entrepreneurs establish their businesses after escaping the corporate world. They have negative memories of office politics and gossip. You know what I’m talking about – the hour-long complaint sessions and childish finger pointing. Once we remove those evils from our daily work environment, we become ridiculously productive and indescribably cheerful. So why do we allow them back into our lives and our businesses? If we permit clients, employees, contractors, vendors or even ourselves to complain, gossip, criticize and whine, then we are creating that same destructive energy we worked so hard to avoid. But, as the business owner, you get to decide the policies, which means you can prohibit that kind of drama. So the next time you witness (or cause!) drama in your business, refer to your Drama-Free Policy and remind everyone: “We don’t do that here.”
- Set Realistic Expectations. If you’re a people-pleaser, you’re going to need this strategy. One of the things mompreneurs and most sole proprietors struggle with is time management. That’s because our businesses are set up to react to the demands and schedules of our clients. This is especially true for service providers. We take on more work than we can handle and we don’t communicate well when we fall behind schedule. We do this out of fear – fear that our clients will go elsewhere if we can’t fit them in. One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves (and our clients) is a reasonable schedule – one that includes white space for the inevitable last minute crisis. This allows us to communicate honestly with clients, which ultimately serves them better. And it gives us the ability to surprise them when we under promise and over deliver.
- Automate. Delegate. Eliminate. If you’re a mom and an entrepreneur, you’re probably used to doing it all yourself. Sometimes it’s just easier to do something ourselves than to explain it to someone else who will probably not do it the way we want anyway. But just as we need to teach our children to tie their own shoes so they will someday be responsible and independent, we also need to let our business grow up. Part of the “growing pain” in your business is the challenge of letting go of tasks and being comfortable with the results. What can you let go of today? Try automating a system in your business by investing in technology. Or delegate customer service tasks to a virtual assistant. Better yet, maybe there is something you can eliminate entirely – something you do because you’ve always done it….something that truly doesn’t need to be done at all!
- Live Your Purpose – Now. Remember why you started your business? Was it because you were passionate about the work you do and the people you serve? Did you fall in love with the lifestyle of an entrepreneur? Whatever sparked your interest in becoming a mompreneur is probably something that brings a smile to your face. So make it a part of your daily work life. Otherwise, it’s too easy to forget why you chose your business to begin with. I started my business so I could earn a good living, doing what I love, sharing my gifts with others and still being fully present and available for my family. Sometimes I forget that my purpose is not a destination, but rather a journey. And that I have the ability to do all of these things right now. So each time I find myself ignoring my kids while I’m on the computer, I remind myself of my purpose and realign with my priorities.
Are you in love with your business? Share your tips for keeping the passion alive in your business!
