So, many of you have asked me recently what owning a small business is like.  Without a doubt, it is the most rewarding and fulfilling thing I have ever done in my career.  I never thought I could top the feeling of getting a second degree, but running my own business has been exhilarating.  There are days when I feel like I am on top of the world, and there are others that are really tough.  I would not change it for anything in the world though.  If you are thinking about starting your own business, keep reading because there are some things you need to know.

There is no way I could write everything in one blog, so there will be a whole series of blogs that will follow this one.  I know many of you strive to be entrepreneurs.  I encourage you to go for your dreams.  In this post, I will talk about what it takes to earn business and keep money coming into your business.  In subsequent posts, I will go into further detail about the things I have learned and continue to learn.

The Work that is Involved

So I think the main reason people do not go into business on their own is because of the fear of the unknown.  Yes, there are uncertainties in entrepreneurship.  The main concern is: ” Where will my next check come from”?  Other reasons people don’t take the plunge is because it can be difficult obtaining clients.  Very valid concerns.  I completely get it and have had these thoughts also.

First things first, don’t start a company without money in the bank.  Bulls Eye Recruiting did not start overnight.  The idea of Bulls Eye Recruiting came in 2012 when I wrote my first blog.  It took 3 years of building a brand and a following before I would even consider starting my own business.

Let me make this clear.  I worked very hard at 2 jobs for many years.  2 Jobs!  I had a “day job” and “weekend/evening job”.  If you want something bad enough in life, you are going to have to work hard to achieve it. I blogged so much my fingers hurt from typing.  I did radio shows, webinars, a TV show, speaking engagements.  Man- let me tell you that was WAY out of my comfort zone.   I tweeted, was way more active on Facebook than I ever cared to be and I was a LinkedIn stalker.  Yes, I was visible.  Bulls Eye Recruiting was visible.

I wanted something and I wasn’t going to let anything get in my way of having it.  If you want to be an entrepreneur, you must have this attitude!

I can guarantee you I wanted it more than most.  What I was doing before I started my business was building awareness, building trust in the HR & Recruiting industry and building a BRAND!

The Hustle is Real

Once you have money in the bank and you decide you are ready to go for it, don’t ever let off the gas pedal! There are good months and there are bad months in owning your own business.  If you remember one thing from reading this blog, remember this:  “Ride it while it is hot”.  If you close business deals, keep going.  2016 has been a great year.  It will slow down at some point!!!  If you want to stay in it for the long haul, stock pile while you can because it will help you when there are lean months.  Let me assure you that there WILL BE lean months

You have to be on top of your game as an entrepreneur.   You are only as good as your next closed deal.  Just because you don’t work for a major company anymore does not mean you don’t have to hit your “quota”.  You now have to hit numbers so you can keep the lights on for your business.  It is easy to slow down, but to win at this game, you always have to look at what is next.

The Rewards are Worth It

Once you have your business on auto-pilot and you know what works and what doesn’t work, then enjoy it.  It is as I said earlier, the best feeling in the world.  It is more rewarding than working for any company that you aspire to work for.  It is your dream job.  Trust me.

What are you waiting for?  Let me know if you are thinking about running your own shop.  I’d love to hear about it.