The Well-Rounded Entrepreneur: Why You Should Always be Learning

So you’re taking the leap and you’re finally starting your business. Congrats! You probably have all kinds of ideas and goals, but your head is starting to spin when you consider how much needs to be done to make this dream a reality. But you’re smart and ambitious and you know that if you just put one foot in front of the other, this business will work. 

So you put your head down and you get to work. You get your business registered, you create your social media accounts, you buy business cards, you invest in some ads, you’re running around town trying to close sales, but for some reason you feel stuck. The bank account’s not growing, but the bills keep coming. Before you know it, you’re desperately trying to close more sales just so you can keep your business afloat. 

If this hits home, you’re not alone. The startup phase is intense and there are a lot of moving parts. A lot of things need to be done well in order for you to find success. Chances are you’re really good at the service you provide or your product is really great, but you’re not so great at the business side of things. The good news is you can always learn. In fact you have to. It’s essential for the survival of your business. If you’re starting small and you’re wearing all the hats, it’s likely because you don’t have the capital to pay someone else for their expertise, yet! Ideally we want to be able to hire the best people so we can fast track our growth and success, but right now that’s not an option. Your bank account is looking a little modest. So what can you do in the meantime? The answer is to invest in your own business education. And when I say invest, I don’t necessarily mean invest your money.

“Why as entrepreneurs are we not jumping at every opportunity to learn?”

There are lots of ways you can soak up free or low-cost business advice. Podcasts, Youtube channels, and educational social media accounts are awesome free ways to learn a lot from experts who have been where you are and who are passionate about helping others grow. Books are also a great resource. Let’s just think about business books for a minute. An expert in their field decided to spend a significant amount of time organizing and writing a book all about what they know and the experiences they’ve had in their careers. And for like $15 you have the opportunity to read all about it and learn from these experts?! Why as entrepreneurs are we not jumping at every opportunity to learn?

Let’s take a minute to write down the parts of your business that you do well. Maybe that’s creating the product you sell, or providing excellent service. Maybe you’re great with ideation and envisioning new opportunities for your business. Don’t hold back. Once you’ve thoroughly considered where your strengths lie, next think about the areas of your business that need more expertise. Maybe you’re struggling with finding leads and your marketing efforts are not getting you the results you need. Or maybe you’ve been avoiding your finances because it seems overwhelming and complicated, so now you have no idea how much you can afford to pay yourself and you always feel behind on your bills. Identify your business insecurities and tackle them head on. DO NOT AVOID THEM!! 

Never stop learning!

Successful entrepreneurs are constantly learning, constantly curious about what can be better, and they do the hard and sometimes boring things that will take their businesses to the next level. You can’t just say, “Oh numbers aren’t my thing” or “I’m just not a good sales person.” Maybe you don’t naturally excel at those things, but there’s no reason you can’t learn. Pick one of the areas you know you need help in and commit the next month to learning as much as you possibly can. Find a business podcast or a Youtube channel that resonates with you. Download an audiobook. Invest in learning something that will actually help move you forward. 

If you have time for mindless scrolling on your phone, you have time to watch a helpful Youtube video. If you spend any amount of time driving, you have the perfect opportunity to listen to a business podcast or audiobook. For me as a busy mom of two, and expecting another baby any day now, I know what it’s like to be busy. But I still manage to find little pockets of time throughout my week where I can spend 15 minutes learning about financial management. While driving my daughter to school, I love to listen to the Goal Digger Podcast and get my weekly dose of marketing advice and entrepreneur motivation. Rather than filling all of your free time with mindless entertainment, fill that time with intentional learning. Before you know it, you’ll be thinking differently about your business. And those weaknesses that used to hold you back will start to loosen up a bit. You’ll start trying new things, you’ll gain more confidence, and you’ll start to see results in your small biz. 

Let’s actually do this!

To help you get started, I created a simple worksheet for you to fill out. Start by identifying your strengths and how you can leverage them more effectively. Then consider what areas need some help and create a simple game plan to better educate yourself. It doesn’t need to be complicated or overwhelming. It can be as simple as listening to one audiobook a month, or listening to a weekly podcast. You got this! Let’s make cool stuff happen and never stop learning.