Every year, more than 1,000,000 people embark on the entrepreneurial adventure with the aim of becoming their own boss, finding meaning in their professional activity and gaining geographical, temporal and financial freedom. But according to INSEE figures, 77% of self-employed businesses and 50% of companies close before 5 years. 48% of business creators say they lack advice on development strategy, networking with key contacts and financing assistance.
Indeed, when you go from employee to entrepreneur, you inevitably go through a phase of resistance to change that can lead to fear, procrastination and a drop in energy. Quite simply because you are going from a known world of employment to an unknown world of entrepreneurship. It is important to understand that this is normal, 100% of entrepreneurs go through this, the time to understand this new life as an entrepreneur. So there is no need to feel guilty. And to transcend this phase of resistance to change, you need to improve your skills on your business strategy to implement new actions and obtain new results, but also work on your state of mind in order to unlock all the possible blockages that could prevent you from taking action: time and priority management, imposter syndrome, risk aversion, self-confidence and confidence in your project, fear of selling yourself, relationship with money and fear of lack, public speaking and self-image…
Personal development is imperative for anyone looking to step out of their comfort zone and achieve the goals they set for growing their business. Let’s analyze the main characteristics of successful entrepreneurs:
1.1 Time and priority management
It’s not easy for a former employee to set a work framework and stick to it when you have no hierarchy or upcoming deadlines. Here are some principles to achieve this:
Create SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound;
Define your priorities: IMPORTANT & URGENT (to do immediately), IMPORTANT & NOT URGENT (to plan), NOT IMPORTANT & URGENT (on hold or delegate), NOT IMPORTANT & NOT URGENT (on hold or delete);
Be focused: what is your goal in 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, 1 month… and identify the most important task to complete each week to move forward efficiently;
Schedule your ideal week: a single calendar that groups together all your personal and professional activities to have an overview and adjust if necessary;
Plan your tasks on your calendar: goodbye to TO DO LIST, plan, plan, plan on your calendar and keep your commitments to yourself;
Set a time limit: “Better done than perfect”, don’t seek perfection, be lenient with yourself and be in continuous improvement.
“You can’t control time, the only thing you can control is yourself” Sadghuru.
1.2 Imposter syndrome
When you start your therapy business for the first time, you are in a way a “baby” therapist who, in order to succeed in walking, must accept to fall, get up and try again until you succeed. It is possible, after a career change for example, to suffer from a lack of legitimacy which can negatively impact your new life as a business leader. It is important to understand, when you start out, that you are not the number 1 therapist in the world in your field of expertise and that is quite normal. But that on a scale of 1 to 10, knowing that 10 is potentially the best therapist in the world, you are still at level 6 or 7 and that the best way to get to level 8, 9 or 10 is to practice. So be kind to yourself and accept that everything will not be perfect, you will make mistakes and these mistakes will allow you to grow and improve. But if you put all your attention, energy and expertise into serving your client, they will inevitably reach a higher level of well-being. You are free to refuse clients whose expectations are too high by explaining to them that you are just starting out. Review your basics regularly, ask for feedback from your clients, train yourself until you reach the level that will make you proud and confident.
“I never lose, I either win or I learn.” N. Mandela
1.3 Risk aversion
Taking charge of your life means taking responsibility. The only thing you can change is yourself, not others or the environment. So to change your life, you will have to take the risk of doing things differently to have a different life. Is there a risk of failing? The answer is obviously YES. But what real risk are you taking? The risk of having to return to employment after your period of unemployment? Or at the end of unemployment, the risk of having to sell your apartment? The risk is not the same depending on your personal situation and it is important to be clear about the risks you are taking. Then, there are two possibilities, either not to accept this risk, and to choose the security that ties a ball and chain to your foot and to make your decisions while being afraid of failing, which will often prevent you from making the best decision for your business. Either accept this risk, and put everything in place to achieve the goals you have set for yourself and fully launch yourself into this entrepreneurial adventure, keeping in mind all the changes that this will allow you to have in your life.
“Success is going from failure to failure with the same enthusiasm.” W. Churchill.
1.4 Confidence in oneself and one’s project
Entrepreneurs are not born, they become them. “Preparation trumps action.” Guy Zimmerlich. Structuring your business creation project well is an essential step to be confident and move forward efficiently. Whether it is to define your ideal client, create suitable offers, set your prices, be comfortable with the commercial part, choose the best legal status, obtain financing and have an effective development strategy. Adopt the logic of small steps, one thing at a time and avoid comparing yourself to others. Get support if you feel the need. Choose an environment conducive to meeting other entrepreneurs, coworking space, shared offices to benefit from their feedback. Be in contact with your clients as often as possible to provide your best advice, give to receive and gain legitimacy with them. Focus on what motivates you and energizes you. Experiment, adjust and improve until it works best.
“You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.” J. Rohn
1.5 Fear of selling yourself
The fear of disturbing, of displeasing, of not being up to the task or of a customer refusal can sometimes be paralyzing. This often hides a bad image of the salesperson seen as a manipulator or scammer who forces a sale for his own benefit. In fact, a good salesperson has the posture of a coach, he is there to help his prospect make the best decision for himself by questioning. It is the prospect who has the power and not the salesperson. It is therefore important to detach yourself from the financial issue and to be, in an empathetic manner, attentive to the needs and expectations of your interlocutor and to offer him a solution that meets his request point by point. You propose, he disposes. It is the constraint the quality of the bond that you are going to build with this prospect that will generate sufficient trust for him to want to work with you. So the idea is not to sell but for him to buy by asking the right questions, by reassuring him, and by accepting that he is the one who will make the final decision. We can also question our relationship to the price of our offers, which is often linked to the value we give ourselves. Someone who has a perfect command of a subject often does not see the value of their expertise because “it is easy” for them, whereas it can be of great help to their client. Otherwise, we must question our level of mastery if we are not sure of ourselves and train ourselves further if necessary.
“Most people think that ‘selling’ is the same as ‘talking.’ But the most effective salespeople know that listening is the most important part of their job.”
1.6 The relationship with money and the fear of lack
As you know, questions about finances, remuneration, turnover, etc. are often taboo. However, thinking about your relationship with money when developing a business is essential. We often have a relationship with money that is very different from each other, depending on our education, our culture, our life experiences, etc. It is often a relationship with our personal finances that is emotional and can cause problems if we are not careful. If you never look at your bank account because you are afraid of running out, you certainly have work to do. It is important to look at your bank account regularly and to be clear about your cash flow level. A company’s cash flow can be defined as the state and management of the company’s funds and resources; it is the cash in your professional bank account that is used to pay your expenses and plan your future investments. It is therefore interesting to have a non-emotional relationship with money and to accept the downward and upward fluctuations in your cash flow. In his book “What Money Says About You” Christian Junod outlines four problematic patterns that reflect our relationship with money:
the squirrel pattern: money is associated with positive projections (such as freedom, happiness, security…). People in this pattern tend to hoard money and constantly make sure to spend less money than they earn. the sabotage
pattern: money is associated with one or more solely negative projections about money (money is associated with conflict, injustice, dirt, anxiety…). People in this pattern tend to get into debt (regardless of the amount).
the roller coaster pattern: money is associated with both positive and negative projections. When the person is connected to positive projections, they hoard; when they are connected to negative projections, they push money away in one way or another (unconsciously). People in this movement tend to throw away their money for things that don’t bring any particular or lasting satisfaction.
The all-you-can-eat buffet trend: it consists of wanting to get more bang for your buck than is reasonable. People in this movement are afraid of being ripped off, afraid of missing out, afraid of the uncertainty of tomorrow.
Questioning your relationship with money is essential to managing your business well. Identify your trends linked to your past experiences and set up financial indicators to analyze the financial health of your business so as not to have an emotional (felt) relationship with money but a pragmatic one (actions that cause a decrease or increase in your cash flow). Do not hesitate to get support from a coach so as not to stagnate in the development of your business.
“Money is just a consequence. I always tell my team: don’t worry too much about profitability. If you do your job well, profitability will come.” B. Arnault
1.7 Public speaking and self-image
One of the common points of successful entrepreneurs is their ability to unite around them a community, a team, partners, customers… Simply, if no one knows you, how can you promote your expertise? Whether it is by creating a newsletter, blog articles, posts on social networks, videos on YouTube, a podcast or even a workshop or conference; public speaking is one of the most effective communication levers to make yourself known and raise awareness of your approach.
Speaking in public is not necessarily easy and can be a source of stress. However, all is not lost, even if you are a shy or introverted person. Here are some tips to improve yourself:
Know your target audience,
Prepare your speech,
Use storytelling,
Be clear and direct,
Use humor,
Articulate and make silences,
Master your body language.
What image will you send to your audience? You don’t have to reveal everything, choose what you want to send about yourself, highlight what seems important to you to inspire and give without expecting anything in return with the intention of contributing. The energy you will release is the most important element. Use communication media that you feel comfortable with and accept once again that the best way to become a good communicator is to practice and learn from your mistakes to become a better version of yourself.
“The ability to speak well in public is the most important skill a leader can have in politics or business.” A, jr. Bakshian
