Being an entrepreneur takes a strong backbone and the fierce determination of a tiger. It takes long hours, patience, the knowledge and understanding that your income will be practically non-existent for the first few years and resilience through the many challenges you’ll face, but it will also be the most rewarding career you could have built for yourself if you’re meant to be an entrepreneur.

Your main hustle

When starting a business, you have to put in 200% and give up your distractions until it’s off the ground. You have to have both feet in and make it your main hustle, your side hustle and your weekends and most importantly never give up and never take anything personal. I worked 7 days a week for 3 years until The Cornerstone Pilates finally opened its doors. I can’t remember what a night out with friends feels like and if I do end up going out, I’m ready to call it a night by 11pm.

There’s no such thing as competition

I don’t believe in competition, I have a fairy tale vision of small businesses supporting each other, knowing how much work comes in to creating and building our dreams and our futures, I can only imagine that we would support one another, there’s enough business out there for all of us if we’re treating people right and giving them the services, the care and the attention they need. 

Build your brand and stick to it.

There will be days when you want to give in, when you start to second guess yourself and wonder if you went about it all wrong. Stick to what you know, your main reason for starting and don’t add what the business around the corner is adding just to compete with them. Instead, be better at what you know, continuously learn about your trade and become the expert you need to be for the best outcome for your clients.

Find your best experience as a consumer and emulate that experience

When was the last time you felt really welcome somewhere? That you actually spoke about it to a close one as a memorable experience for yourself? That the service you received went above and beyond your expectations? Wouldn’t it be nice for your business to be able to offer that experience to someone else? Remember to listen to what people say as they will tell you what they need. My best piece of advice ever received was to enter every conversation assuming that you have something to learn.

When all is said and done, find time for yourself

To contradict what I stated above, once you’ve got the foundation built, carve some time out for yourself. I have come to learn that this is an important part of being an entrepreneur. If you don’t create structure within your life and take time out for yourself, for self-care, for your partner, for your workout, for spending time with your friends, basically for filling the tank back up, then you don’t have anything to drive the engine. 

At the end of the day, your sense of pride and accomplishment will shine through and it will make being an entrepreneur the best decision of your life. Remember to support one another and be respectful of those who are working as hard as you to make their dreams happen. You will reap what you sow.