If you’re an entrepreneur who has exhibited the hard work and skill needed to start their own business, and to have it succeed, then it’s more than likely that you’re filled with an inner drive and desire that is essential in the business world. If that drive and desire exists, then it’s more than likely that you’re looking to improve both yourself and your business.
Although it’s likely that you’ll want your business to go global (which is easier than ever before in the 21st century), it’s vital that you improve yourself first, so you’re ready for the associated challenges and so that you can be reflexive and adapt to new business practices and new ways of working. Here we look at why you should improve yourself before globalising your business and how this is possible.
Why Put Yourself Before the Business?
When you’re a successful entrepreneur, your business often becomes your sole focus and you relegate the role that you play in its success to a peripheral one, assuming that you’ve been a cog in the machine.
However, this couldn’t be further from the truth and it is important to remember that you’re the driving force behind the success of your business. It is more than likely that your business could not have been a success without you. As such, this must be acknowledged, and you must aim to maximise these successes and eliminate any weaknesses you may have as a business owner. If you continually make mistakes such as not negotiating properly or failing to barter on items, your business will lose money. Likewise, not building on your strengths is a missed opportunity that could be costing you money.
By prioritising yourself before you scale up your business to a global level, you can iron out the cracks. This increases the chance of the upscale being a success and helps you avoid making the same mistakes again.
How Do You Make Improvements?
When it comes to improving yourself before improving your business, there are two techniques that you can choose, networking and training.
Networking: Learning about the best parts of other businesses is the best way to improve your business, if you do it correctly. By networking, talking and discussing things with other business owners (even if they operate in different areas to your business), you can still learn from the mistakes that they made. Additionally, you can also learn from successes. Remember, success breeds success, so who better to talk to than other successful business owners?
Training: If you’re self-styled and self-taught then professional training courses might be more suited because they can iron out any self-taught issues you may not have noticed. If training is your preferred option, then it’s best to opt for an accredited option, such as completing a degree in business. This doesn’t have to be impractical either, with companies such as Hult International Business School meaning that you can complete the degree while you stay in work. If you’re going to work globally, additional qualifications will improve your standing in the eyes of your customers and will increase the likelihood of doing deals.
There we have it, if you’re increasing the size of your business or considering going global then it’s important that you improve your own skills first.
About Carson Derrow
