30 Things Being An Entrepreneur Taught Us!

(Snippits from our oh so popular Digital Glue Podcast!)

Starting a business is not always as easy as it sounds. Some may even say it’s the hardest things they’ve ever done. There’s a lot of long days filled with as much caffeine as your body can handle, endless meetings, piles of paperwork, strategy pow-wow’s, difficult clients, wonky platforms, sleepless nights and tired mornings all to rinse n’ repeat again the next day. Possibly even a few weekends too!

However, through all that, every breathing moment is quite exhilarating.

In the beginning, no matter your niche, nobody really knows what the heck they’re doing. Or even what to expect from one day to the next. But we just keep trucking along, telling ourselves it will be okay. That things will get easier …

As entrepreneurs, we sometimes tend to bite off a little more than we can chew — hoping we will learn quickly how to chew it.

In the next handful of months, I’ll be rolling into my 16^th year in business, and my fifth year as a full-timer. I’ve been lucky enough — and very grateful — to have a full support system at my side every single step of the way. But truthfully for a moment, nothing I did really prepared me for all the potholes I tried to avoid, but constantly fell into. And you know me, I’m crazy organized and pretty resourceful.

I thought I had read all the books and blogs, listened to all the podcasts, downloaded all the guides, joined all the social media groups, attended all the webinars and workshops, asked to advise from wiser entrepreneurial sidekicks who’ve “been there, done that” and so many networking events I’ve lost count.

Still, nothing prepared me for all the hoops I needed to jump through and all the extra hats I had to wear. Things I honestly didn’t even think about in the very beginning. But over the years, I’ve had some time to sit back and reflect on everything I’ve accomplished … from good clients to difficult ones, from mistakes that created learning experiences to learning new platforms, design tricks and better ways of time management. And even though some of those potholes hurt like f’in hell my business is still in one piece and better because of it all.

And even more importantly, I’m still in one piece and I’m feeling like a superhero!

*Even Batman rose from the abyss …

I don’t feel those awesome “save the day” superhero moments every single day, and that’s okay. It’s all a part of learning and growing. And with that being said, I wanted to create this extra special “untangling” blog posts / Digital Glue podcast episode for you today — to start the year off right since we’ve just cruised on into early Summer days — by sharing with you 30 very important things I learnt in my first year of as a full-timer in business. And it’s my honest to goodness hope that some of the items help you earlier on in your entrepreneurial adventure!

Never take your eye off the ball (“the ball” being your end goals, dreams, and desires).
Help is worth the weight in gold, just like your time (designers, VA’s, coaches, accountants, you name it).
It’s okay to let difficult clients go. It’s extremely good for your health
(mentally and physically).
Always display your office hours online, even if you work virtually.
Not all freebies are good freebies. The less virtual clutter the better.
Be as organized as humanly possible.
Be as organized as humanly possible.
Be as organized as humanly possible. (Seeing a trend here, LOL!)
Never be afraid to ask for help, or vent (in a healthy way of course) when you need it most.
As soon as you’ve created a process that works for you (and it’s been tested), automate it.
Always deliver more than your clients expect from you.
There is absolutely no such thing as “wholesale rates”. It’s full price, promo rate (if you have one) or free.
Remember that it’s okay to make mistakes. Grieve, learn from them then move on.
Grow your team before you’re ready. They’re experts for a reason and you’ll save yourself so much time and aggravation in the long run not trying to wear every hat on the planet. Take that weight off your shoulders.
Take breaks. Long ones … Short ones … Cat naps … Phone dates with your bestie. Whatever it takes to make time for yourself.
Make sure you have a tribe whether it’s just purely business, just friends or both.
Network as much as possible. Online or at in person events to build yourself a strong community and share stories as often as humanly possible.
Being the change that you wish to see in the world starts with yourself, then just one other person. Change one person’s world and you’ve helped many.
Start every new day with priorities in place.
Avoid social media messaging for business. Email may be inconvenient sometimes, but it will keep you organized. Remember everything has a place and there’s a time and place for everything.
Always give your current client referrals. And if they give you any and they come through, give them an honorable discount.
6- to 7-figure business are not built on free tools. Some free tools maybe, but not all. It’s just not possible.
People are motivated by contests, freebies, and prizes. Never forget we’re all kids at heart.
Teach what you know but make sure your ideas and knowledge are validated before you share — or sell — to others.
Don’t trade time for money. Your hard work is worth way more than that.
Technology is not a replacement for human relationships. It is there for support and support only.
Never stop learning. Take courses, read books and blogs, listen to podcasts. Attend workshops and webinars. Join a niche-related mastermind. Then take a few moments to pause, reflect and implement.
Having a brand is not just a designer’s gimmick, it’s real, it’s beneficial and it will help your business grow more than you could ever possibly imagine. Don’t take this lightly. Your brand needs to impact others and the world. So, please oh please … Don’t skimp on this. Ever!
Don’t take your technology with you wherever you go. A weekend getaway (even if it’s just to your couch) or a holiday is that for a reason … Time well-deserved to rest up for what comes next.
Comparison is the route of all evil. It is not real. Nobody does things your way and you don’t theirs. Period. End of story. Just don’t do it!

If you think about it … Being an entrepreneur isn’t just a job title, and it isn’t just about starting a business. It’s a state of mind. It’s about seeing connections to things that others simply cannot, seizing opportunities others won’t, and forging new directions that others haven’t even pondered on. So, let’s be honest here by taking a quick virtual turn to the 30 things list I just shared with you … some days are great — we wake up feeling motivated and ready to take on the world, and come up with ideas and solutions quickly to the problems we face. But even superheroes have bad days!

Maybe you’re feeling lazy today for all the extra hours you’ve been putting in over the last few weeks (fair warning: this sounds like the start of a recipe for burnout). Or you’re having trouble coming up with that genius creative solution to a problem you need solved. Inspiration just seems beyond your grasp! Well, whatever it is that has you feeling stuck lately, be prepared to feel inspired ….

I’m here today to tell you that part of the problem has to do with finding that perfect work-life balance. Many entrepreneurs, including myself, just do not give themselves enough attention (physically and mentally). We eat whatever is quickest to make or nearest our fingertips if we even stop to eat at all. We work until the wee hours of the night even when our brain is giving us warning signs that we’ve pushed the limit for the day. This lifestyle is a recipe for burnout and for us to do good for the entrepreneurial world, we need to feel good. So, well-being should be a #1 priority!

With that in mind … Are you ready to create some change?

Truthfully, you must let the inspiration come to you. The more you try to chase it down, the further it’s going to get and the less success you’re going to have catching up to it. To help with creating some change in your business life to let creativity and inspiration flow more easily, here is a small list of things we like to do to switch things up …

Find yourself some new surroundings. Changing things up when it comes to physical space has a surprisingly huge impact on the way we think, feel and work.
Start writing your thoughts and ideas down. Yes, all of them. Whether it be through scribbles, sketches, voice notes, emails, or texts to yourself … putting your thoughts and ideas down makes it way easier to go back and find the stroke of genius you were looking for. No idea is ever a bad idea. It just may not be the idea you’re looking for or needing right now.
Remove yourself from daily distractions. At least 1 to 2 hours per day (not including sleep time) spend some time away from your cell phone, your work email, the internet or absolutely anything else that pulls you away. Let yourself breathe. Clearing the air will help make room for problem solving, creativity and yes, inspiration!
Never stop reading! Remember when we were younger, we could punch out an entire book in just a day or two? Then as we aged, time for reading became less and less. Well, it’s time to bring reading to the forefront again. Nearly every successful entrepreneur reads when they’re not working. No, not some silly 100 book challenge … but books, blogs, and articles about their niche to widen their knowledge and discover new technologies, connections, events, etc. However, reading can’t always be business-related. Just sayin’!
Stop always trying to be a perfectionist and start acting on your ideas. Even if it’s with the thought that going forward with your current idea, project or task is just that, an idea that isn’t totally refined just yet.
Take time to evaluate and re-evaluate your goals (both business and pleasure) as maybe that’s the reason you’re struggling now — it’s due to a deeper issue.
Take time to focus on yourself, have quiet time, listen to music and just plain ol’ relax. And no, not just once every few months or so … Every. Single. Day.

I’ve heard people say that entrepreneurs are crazy. Maybe they are right. However, we are the ones who change the world AND get to live our dream doing it … freedom, fame, purpose, and change. And due to those factors, it seems that more and more people want to become an entrepreneur. And with all that lifestyle greatness that comes along with the title, why not?

However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows!

So, to end things off today I want to share with you the most important trait you need as a movement leader, resilience. Resilience is the virtue that enables people to move through hardship and become better. You’re going to make mistakes, and you’re going to be told by hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people that what you’re trying to accomplish simply can’t be done BUT it’s our “crazy” strategies and tactics that are going to change the world.

So, with that being said, here is my open-hearted letter to YOU …

Dear entrepreneurial friends,

It’s human nature to avoid pain and seek pleasure. Some of us take risks while others play it safe. Some of us see problems and answers while other see the status quo. Some of us feed off our comfort zones while others see hiding behind this as failure. The path isn’t always easy, and the survival rate is bleak. But it’s the mental tools that keep our journey intact. And one of those very important tools is resilience.

Having this ability is crucial if you want your business to grow and last. And like any shift in thinking … it doesn’t happen overnight. We need to be practical with the steps we choose to take on our path in order to build resilience and become better equipped to handle issues, difficult clients, not-so-strong team members and setbacks as we grow our business. Especially in the start-up phases.

Fear holds us back. Dark cloudy days and setbacks are unavoidable and surely not pleasant. However, they also have the potential to be your engine of personal growth. (Also, in our daily lives beyond business hours.) The difference between success and failure comes down to who’s willing to stick it out in the smartest ways possible. And that’s resilience.

Pain plus reflection equals progress.

So, see yourself as a fighter. Go with the gifts you were given. Trust your gut. (It’s always right!) Take time to re-boot. Be gracious about your losses. (Even ones that shatter your world!) Learn as you go. Don’t give up. Keep reminding yourself why you’re doing this worthy work because who better to take it on than you. And believe in yourself, because then others will believe in you too!

With all the Virtual Love in the World;
Crystal

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Crystal Kordalchuk

Crystal is an artist, a writer, an organizer, a dreamer, a doer, and down-right proud of it NERD!.

Struck with a love for #AllThings creative at a very young age, Crystal dreamed of a life fueled by her passion for creating and bringing the stories and images in her mind into reality.

As she worked toward her dreams, she earned a diploma as a Computer Applications Specialist then another in Graphic Design and from there began to develop her extensive background in multimedia and the arts. She began her worked in the magazine industry as a layout designer and had a succession of design jobs thereafter. It was her role as a graphic/web designer that gave her the first real glimpse of her future. Soon she began a side job as a freelance designer while keeping one foot in the corporate world. A spark was lit! She turned her freelance gig into a full-time business combining design work with her other passion: creating organization from virtual chaos.

Crystal is one of the most organized individuals on the planet. She is by all means a Zen master of her crafts. She excels at helping others become “untangled” and provides her clients with tools to run their businesses smoothly while she takes care of the details behind the scenes. Thus Virtually Untangled was born. A successful business where her work as a top notch creative in graphic and web — with a twist of virtual assistant — married into one amazing place where clients can come with their virtual messes and become magically untangled. Crystal can always make sense of even the most unorganized chaos and offers a virtual detox of order and peace, so her clients can get busy doing the work that they love the most.

30 Things Being An Entrepreneur Taught Us!

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