The Three Things I've Learnt in Four Years of Business.
“The future belongs to the Dandy. it is the exquisites who are going to rule”
Oscar Wilde. Bon vivant, literary genius, social disruptor. Irish, elegant and boldly authentic. The muse to my dreams.
Today marks the anniversary of Digital Dandy's birth. Business registration - 8 May 2013 - the first big tick off an imaginative and ambitious list, ignited by nothing extraordinary, but quite distinctive, while driving the boys through the Derwent valley on a Sunday afternoon.
We moved from Sydney four years prior, and my husband began his adventures down the rabbit hole of Walshland shortly after. Considering my options and after a wonderful taste of part time employment, I knew how important it would be that whatever path I took, it needed to be malleable to my maternal needs. Staunchly independent from a young age, self-employment was staring me straight between the eyes.
My first Facebook cover photo
The 3 lessons I learnt from starting my own business
While Digital Dandy was born in 2013 it really didn't emerge as a key player (I don't think) until 2015, when the boys were in full time school. With that being said, here are three things I've learnt, through learning the hard way, asking a zillionteen questions, gritting my teeth and pushing through the cobwebs:
- Find a great accountant - one that you can swear at, feel comfortable enough to cry with and most importantly, trust implicitly. Create sales targets from Day 1 and study them weekly. (Thank you Simon for putting up with my lunacy).
- Invest more time than you think in your foundations. Plan, review, plan, review, then plan some more. And add an extra month to your projected planning time.
- Work on your self-confidence before you open for business. Hit the ground running with strong self belief, an elevator pitch that is, well, 'pitch perfect' and work on your self-promotion, without fear of looking like a big ego needy loon. If you believe in yourself, you will go far.
And now? It appears that the blood, sweat and tears might have been worth it. Happy Birthday Digital Dandy. And thank you Oscar Wilde.
