19 Years of being an Entrepreneur
I started my first sole trader company, Newleaf-Dialogue in 2000 having left corporate life. That’s me on the left at the tender age of thirty-ish. Here I am in 2019 (on the right) looking somewhat older. I look back at that picture of a fresh-faced young businessman and wonder how anyone ever entrusted me with their projects!
I’ve had a few successes, some near misses, a few bits of bad advice, some good — and a few disappointments along the way. I’ve also made lots of lifelong friends. Sure, I’ve also been able to earn a pretty decent crust and my kids have grown up along the way — but what have I learned?
There are a lot of bits I’ve picked up I could include in that list; knowing where you’re headed, staying focused on winning customers, not getting distracted by the minutiae of business administration, never loosening your grip on the purse-strings, forgive yourself the mistakes and learning lessons, always enjoy it… but I’ve settled on three takeaways that really have been painfully learned.
I guess my first takeaway from those nineteen years is around what I’ve learned about myself along the way. There have been a few times when ‘I thought I was ready’ to jump up another gear in what I was doing, only to realize — maybe a decade later — that I wasn’t ready. When you’re an entrepreneur, you’re always learning.
The fact of the matter is, you’re never ready to run a business.
There are always new things to learn. Every twist and turn of a business, just like parenting, is about learning on the job. Having the humility to know that you’re not the ‘finished package’ blended with the self-confidence to believe you’re capable of stepping up to the challenge is the vital recipe for survival.
My second takeaway is along the lines of getting the balance right of trusting your own judgment and relying on others. On this score, I don’t think I’ve always got it right and I’m still learning. Sometimes, you have to call on others to balance the skills mix you need to run a business. Other times though, you have to trust your instincts and lead your business. It’s YOUR business after-all!
My third and ultimate takeaway sounds so embarrassingly simple that you’d think it obvious. Never forget why you do it. Entrepreneurs are the wealth creators of the world. They’re the people that give others the inspiration to try something themselves. They’re the spark that set passions alight in others to discover their own gifts. They’re the people that lead great teams and give everyone a buzz and desire to be a part of something. And they’re the people that deliver. I wake up every morning with oodles of activation energy and bounce around the office because I love what I do, and after nineteen years doing it, I can’t remember what it felt like not to be thinking about my next business project with a grin.
Has that experience made me a better businessman; a better supplier to serve my customers? Were you to judge any response to that answer as a customer, I suspect the answer is no. Why not? Because I’ve always committed 120% to make sure I deliver on my promises to customers and ensure they get what they paid for.
Whether it’s your first day on the job or last morning before retirement, I’d say every entrepreneur must do that well.
About the author
Ian Tomlin is a seasoned marketer, entrepreneur, and business leader with a 30+ year career at the intersection of strategy, technology, and marketing. As the founder of successful businesses, including Newton Day Ltd, Ian brings a wealth of expertise in guiding companies toward compelling brand stories. Reach out to Ian via LinkedIn to transform your marketing approach and tell your brand story effectively.
