I have been working at The Biz Foundry for almost 5 years now and we are about to celebrate our 10th year serving the Upper Cumberland business community. I’ve seen A LOT of people with TONS of ideas come through our doors. And I’ve seen even more people start their businesses without ever stepping foot in our building to get business support. I often wonder why so many business owners don’t use our resources?
Learn from those before you
I have a background in education and about 6 years ago I opened an online store to sell teaching resources. I had a mentor who was years ahead of me in this arena and told me exactly what to do. After launching my store, I attended a conference where I learned about marketing, social media and pricing products. Then I ran with it. From the beginning I had the skills and knowledge to start my venture, but I needed business support to get rolling.
While my story of entrepreneurship involves getting business support from mentors and educational workshops, some people just dive in and never ask for help. For some this works out fine and they go on to run healthy, thriving businesses, but for others not getting support is a fatal mistake. I’ve found there are 3 main reasons people don’t get help; time, pride and Google. If you’re using those “reasons”, I’ve got some solutions for you to leverage the business support & resources available to you.
“I don’t have time”
The reason “I don’t have time” is really tough for me. Everyone is given the same 24 hours in a day. I used to be the type that always felt like I was trying to catch up; like I was one of those crazy guys spinning a million plates and I couldn’t let them fall. Once I realized that the people who seem like they are doing a million things and doing them well have the same time as I do, it was a game changer.
The solution? Figure out your priorities. For example, if it’s truly important to get a full 8 – 10 hours of sleep (that’s me!), it needs to be on your MUST list. That may mean that your TV time is cut down. If it’s important to start a business that you have passion for, you may have to give up some things pulling at your time (socializing, traveling, etc) for a while to get your business going. Take the time to figure out what’s important and put the right priorities in your vision.
“I hate asking for help”
Asking for help means that you don’t know everything. That is scary to admit. I am an enneagram 8, The Challenger, which means I do not like pointing out my weaknesses. However, I have learned the “help style” that works for me. Some people need to read all the directions before they even take a step forward, others need someone to show them how things go together before they go off on their own. I prefer to start and figure out what I need help with before asking questions. All of those options are forms of support that help you lay a solid foundation.
The solution? Figure out what type of help works for you and take action. In business, you can work with a cohort to get solid feedback, watch videos, or meet one on one with a business coach, are a variety of ways to get the business support you need.
“I can just Google it”
Google CAN BE great. It can also be horrible. Have you ever looked up an ailment? You will find you are dying, have cancer, and that you can fix it with oils all for the same ailment. When it comes to business, Google can be a blessing and a curse. While there are times that you can find business advice that’s useful, it can also be confusing and overwhelming.
The solution? Having a business coach to help you sort through the information overload of the internet can ensure you are headed in the right direction.
Business support is priceless
When you are entrepreneurial journey, getting business support is priceless. It can save you headaches, frustration and disable paralyzing fears. Figure out what type of help works for you – diving in and then asking questions, getting coaching to get the information you need before taking action, or seeking out experts to fill in your knowledge gaps, etc. – and start reaping the benefits of business support.
Long story short, help is not a bad thing, and it’s definitely not a weakness – it can be the catalyst to making your dream a reality and running a healthy business.
