I've been a copywriter and online entrepreneur for almost a decade now. And in that time, I've come up with so many business ideas and creative projects that many of them never saw the light of day. But just because my ideas failed doesn't mean that I didn't get anything from the experience.
With every failed experiment came a lesson that made me a better person and set me up for the next opportunity.
The following advice is a compendium of these lessons as well as affirmations that I live by and sometimes
have had to repeat to myself along the way when things get tough.
Make no mistake, as a
young, black, female entrepreneur coming from a ‘disadvantaged’ background in South Africa pursuing the type of dreams I have, mine has not been an easy road.
But I
chose this path because I believe in myself and my ideas. And I believe that I have a truth and perspective that only I can share with the world. And I knew early on in
life that I wouldn’t be able to achieve that mission and share that gift
through a 9- 5 job. So I chose a path that is honestly, very difficult, but
totally worth it.
If you find yourself on a similar path, here are a few nuggets of advice that I would give to my younger self, or anyone that likes the idea of living life purposefully.
1WORK
American
entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk put it best when he said, 'there’s
isn’t a single person on the planet who became successful without putting in
hard work. Not a single one.'
Truth
is, we all have to pay our dues and you really do get what you put into life. It’s
that simple. If you want to make lots of money, live a life of comfort,
or you just want the freedom to be able to do what you want to do when you want
to do it, then work is required.
And
it doesn’t matter how talented you are. If you don’t put in the work, you simply won’t
get what you want.
2BE PATIENT
Almost
every entrepreneur I know (myself included) starts the journey with a level of
excitement, self-assurance and optimism that would beguile Spongebob
Squarepants himself.
You
come in guns-blazing with a can-do attitude, an infallible plan and a
(premature) assumption that everything’s going to pan out exactly as you planned.
But
as I've learnt, the business world doesn’t work like that. Life will take
you through so many serendipitous detours that you’ll have absolutely no choice
but to adapt and grow.
All this
comes with a level of patience I cannot explain. It takes patience to deliver constant
quality without receiving comparable compensation. It takes patience to knock on
the same doors every day and being repeatedly told ‘no’. It takes patience to convince
customers to buy your product. It takes patience to know that even though it
hasn’t happened yet, you’ll eventually convert your first customers through your marketing funnel.
And what do you call doubling down on the hard work every day while
still not seeing the results you imagined? Patience my friend. And you’re going to need an
endless supply of it along the journey. Otherwise you won’t enjoy it.
In a
nutshell, accept that things won’t always go as planned and that you might have
to wait a little longer before you get your preferred piece of the pie.
DON'T GIVE UP
Starting
something, whether it’s a business, an organisation or a movement is not easy, but maintaining it is even harder.
Think
long hours and sleepless nights of doing unpaid work for ‘exposure’ (see: internships). The life of a
creative entrepreneur is a thankless profession in the beginning and you’ll
encounter a lot of disappointing moments that can deter you from
continuing. This an opportune time to employ your patience and keep going, even
when things seem unbearable.
To not give up is one of the best pieces of
advice that I got early on in my career as an entrepreneur, and it’s something
that’s stayed with me ever since. Things will get hard, you will encounter
challenges that you’ve never even imagined
on your journey, but the most important thing is to just keep going and to not
give up in the face of adversity. Because being an entrepreneur is just that.
It’s waking up every morning to look adversity in the eye day in day out. So
stay strong!
TRUST YOUR IDEAS
At
first, most people won’t understand or even believe in your ideas. Your friends
and family may even try to convince you to be ‘normal’, give up, and follow a more conventional path.
Then
there’ll be industry players and know-it-alls who say NO to you because they’re
not familiar with what you’re bringing to the table. And because they’re in positions of power and
influence you may be tempted to believe them and give up. Don’t.
You see,
what sets an entrepreneurs apart is their ability to do something that hasn’t been done before. And
every innovator and creator in the world has had to face multiple rejections and
even outright ridicule before they ‘made it’. Look at Beyoncé. She had to deal
with rejection from a very young age, performing for ruthlessly unappreciative
audiences who never thought for a second that she'd become one of the world’s
most iconic entertainers of all time.
World-renowned business coach Marie Forleo gave the best advice when she said, “stay on your game and keep going for your dreams. The world needs that
special gift that only you have.” And if the haters don’t see it, that's fine. Because one day they'll be asking for your autograph, advice, or both, and you'll remember their ridicule and rejection with a fondness known only to those who've experienced it.
GET A MENTOR
Having
someone in your corner who understands what you’re going through because of their own experience is key to the success of a young entrepreneur. Mentors will share with you priceless advice and give you
guidance that you can’t learn from a textbook or from attending ‘entrepreneurship’
class. It’s practical advice based on real life experience gained from ‘doing
stuff’ and being successful at it.
Of
course, a mentor isn’t there to hold your hand, but having one means that
you'll make fewer mistakes and you’ll have access to more
opportunities and resources than you would otherwise.
So if you haven’t already, seek
out a mentor who shares the same interests and is, or has experienced the level of success you aspire to.
ADVERTISE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Marketing
is the backbone of any business whether you’re selling a product or offering a
service. It’s important that you get the word out there about your business so
that you can attract the right kind of customers.
One
of the best ways to do this is through social media marketing. This is
one of the simplest and cheapest ways for a millennial creative entrepreneur to
market themselves as it allows you to engage with your customers in real time,
gaining valuable feedback that can really help to grow your business.
Remember
to post often and provide great customer service by responding quickly to comments
on your content. Make your customers feel special by
thanking them for their interest in your product and wow them with knowledge of
what you’re selling. That, and being authentic makes social media a joy to work with when marketing your business or brand.
And there
you have it!
Just some of the tips that have shaped me as a creative entrepreneur and powered me through some of the most challenging moments that I’ve had to
face. Granted, everyone’s situation is different
but I’ve found through interaction with like-mined individuals that we all face
common challenges and that these tools work regardless of age, era or
circumstances.
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