There is nothing more terrifying and risky than venturing out on your own and starting your own business. One of the biggest draws of the life of an entrepreneur is also the biggest cause of stress; without a boss or supervisor giving you feedback, how do you know you’re successful? True, there are some obvious clues to this question; if you’re making money and you haven’t been forced to close up shop yet you’re obviously doing something right. But sometimes you need a bigger sign that you’re taking your small business in the right direction so that you stay open. If you look back, and notice that some of the following applies to you, then you know you’re on the path to success.
Your customers trust you
In this age of technology and connectivity, there is no excuse for not having a presence on a social media platform like Twitter or Facebook. However, the way you use social media is a big indication of your success as a business owner. Some might only use social media to promote their business, generate interest in limited time offers, and share their website content with a wider audience. The more successful business owners use social media to connect with their customers and encourage feedback. If you regularly respond to queries from your customers, use their feedback to improve your services, and make an effort to connect with them, then you’re certainly a success in their eyes.
You’re seen as an expert
Every industry expert you admire started out exactly where you did. Like you, they’ve had pitfalls, successes, and they began with an idea or a dream. Take for example an entrepreneur like Jim Toskanos; started out working at his grandfather’s firm at the age of 13 and has now successfully led, transformed, and counseled Fortune 500 companies during times of change. When you first started out, you probably attended every industry event, gained all the experience you needed, and read every book written by your idols. Now, you’re the one being asked to speak at panels, lecture at seminars, and approached by young entrepreneurs seeking your advice. People consider you to be a success because you know more than they do.
You’re not stressing as much
In your early days you worried about everything; budgets, marketing, content, orders, the list was endless. Even when you survived your first year of business it seemed like there were still a million things to stress out about. Now you’re finding you don’t get so easily stressed, which worries you because you still associate stress with success. Here’s the thing though; a business doesn’t have to be stressful to be successful. It just needs to be run efficiently.
You keep things in perspective
Running your own business can be busy and overwhelming the majority of the time, but if you take a few seconds out of your day to look back and realise how far you’ve come, you’ll never wonder if you’re successful ever again.
