Support Where is it ?
Support where is it ?
They say it takes a village to grow a child and I am sure it takes a Village to grow a business. As someone who has just embarked on my own business, I have been given the cold watery baptism of the fact that, the support you expect isn’t always there or from the people you expect it from.
Admittedly a hard tablet to swallow, but in business reality has to be faced quickly if you want to affect the bottom line, that of profitability.
Does it mean that you shed the people who are in your camp, who you expect to support you? Or do you refocus and question if you are targeting the right people and or community?
Sometimes we start out a bit uncertain about who we are targeting and who our products are most suitable for. Indeed, if you are like me, then you would expect the people close to you to be your first set of supporters. If you are a baker , the expected support will be friends and families to order birthday, anniversary and special occasions cakes etc. However, I am certain many of us have had a rude awakening to this misconception. We have been thrown into the freezing Atlantic Ocean, and left to drown if our businesses were to thrive from this support we expect predominantly from OUR communities.
Instead , the community will almost abandon you and leave you to question at points, your own capabilities, the correctness of the business venture and even your sanity.
STOP!
Don’t let them deter you, keep focus on what why you started the business in the first place.
Was it because of those people? I don’t think so, so why then will you allow them to make you feel defeated?
Instead!
- Regroup, identity who your target audience is
- Don’texpect support from the people who you call friends and family. If they support you say thanks, but don’t expect anything.
- Manage your own expectations, have a contingency plan if you were depending on them to be your main source.
- Start networking in different circles especially where your target audience visits.
- Keep your business venture away from the discussions, not everyone who says “well done, I am so proud of you” truly means it.
- Take time out to re-evaluate the journey you are on frequently.
- Rip down the model and start again in the intangible sense.
- Continue to believe on the project at hand and don’t forget it was your dream, only you can keep it alive.
The overall message here is that you should understand that your village doesn’t always support your business, instead you will have to create a village with its main focus being that of supporting your business.
As George M Adams says “There are high spots in all of our lives and most of them have come about through encouragement from someone else. I don’t care how great, how famous or successful a man or woman may be, each hungers for applause. “
Let’s have the conversation about supporting each other’s business. Drop me an email at info@avabrown.org
Ava Brown MBA, BBA, Dip. Ed.| Trainer, Speaker & Consultant | Author of Bamboo & Fern
Tel: 078 0886 6870 | Email: info@avabrown.org | Web: www.avabrown.org
