Running a business is like nothing I’ve ever tried before. It is exciting, daunting and fulfilling, all at the same time. I’ve just hit my 8th business anniversary and have been reflecting just how much I have learnt in that time. As a sole trader, my work not only involves the photography work that is seen on the outside, but it also includes many hats, for example, marketing, business strategy, bookkeeping (my least favourite), client experience manager, admin, problem solver and cheerleader of self. Whether you’re just starting or already well into your entrepreneurial journey, here are eight lessons that have helped me grow and succeed.
1. Do the Hard Thing
I admit, it’s pretty fun to play in Canva, but the reality is that this is a task that has little effect of moving my business forwards. One hard thing I embraced early into my business ownership was to attend networking events. As an introvert, who struggled to sell myself this was immensely difficult in the beginning. I committed myself to a year of trying networking and 8 years in, meeting people in person is one of my key marketing successes. Turns out you don’t need to sell yourself either, so figuring that out removed a big weight of expectation from my shoulders. What you’re finding challenging can also change as you evolve and grow.
It’s easy to choose the path of least resistance, but we learn the most when we are challenged.
My current hard thing: working on some PR for the business and my Colours of Motherhood project! Here’s the evidence that I’m doing it, despite it feeling hard.
2. Learn from Your Clients
My clients are literally walking and rolling gems of words and understanding. When I can listen and ask the right questions, I learn so much from them about my business. I am in my business day in and day out. I don’t know how it looks from the outside without my clients. Realising that having a photography business was less about my photography and more about my clients has shaped my entire business model and client experience. Listening to their feedback, understanding their needs, and adjusting accordingly has been invaluable.
3. Tricky Decision? Sleep on it, or take a walk
It’s easy to feel rushed by other’s urgency. I’ve learnt that my decisions are best when not rushed, so I will now acknowledge the query and respond when I’ve stepped away. When faced with a tricky decision, it’s tempting to rush for a quick fix. Taking a step back from logic and allowing my intuition to sleep on it, or at the very least, going for a walk can offer clarity and a sense of what’s right. I’ve also found that a bit of time often reveals insights that weren’t immediately apparent in the initial moment.
4. Follow Your Own Path
Authenticity is your greatest asset.
Comparisonitis will get you nowhere. It’s so easy to feel like you have to ‘keep up’ with what others are doing, but then you lose sight of your own vision. Feeling overwhelmed by trying to keep up with competitors isn’t going to build a business that is authentic to you. There is also the well-meaning advice from others, or the enticement of a quick fix. Learn what you need to, trust yourself, surround yourself with cheerleaders, hire the right coaches/ mentors and carve out your own path, even if it deviates from the norm.
5. Lean on Your Values and Strengths
One of the first coaches I ever hired helped me identify my own values and strengths. To this day, I use these to underpin my business model, strategy, brand and decisions.
It’s how my business continues to flourish, I continue to enjoy my work and it’s what has made me different to others.
By staying grounded in and leveraging what you’re naturally good at, your business will feel deeply fulfilling. Embrace your unique qualities, (for me this includes climbing everything for the best angles) they’re what set you apart.
6. Systems and Workflows Can Save You
Arguably one of the most brain numbingly boring but also one of the most important things you can do to set yourself up for success, growth and sustainability is to embrace systems. I can be snowed under with work and I’ll still be delivering on time. I took 3 months off photoshoots earlier this year, and unless you knew, you wouldn’t have known. Just this week I had a power outage that frazzled my external hard drive – the one with all my work on it. I was ok in each instance because I had set up systems, workflows and planned for the unexpected. Investing your energy and time in streamlining processes and creating structured systems can save you countless hours and reduce stress in the future. Whether it’s automating routine tasks or implementing project management tools, having systems and workflows will save you.
Your future self with thank you.
7. Keep an Open Mind and Growth Mindset
Another easy path to take is that of fear. We can be worried that we aren’t doing xyz. We can complain about the introduction of change, for example the current AI trend. But what if it wasn’t a bad thing? What if it could save you time? Energy? Help in another way? Not just focussing on the whinge, but spending more energy on the ‘what ifs’ will help things not just feel more positive, but give opportunities for those ideas to hit you in the middle of your shower (please tell me it’s not just me). Staying open to different opinions, new ideas and technologies will help you to adapt and innovate. As a customer, I know I don’t need more of the same. Be different, embrace the ‘what if’s as an opportunity rather than a threat, and keep learning. There’s always more to learn.
Stay open to different opinions.
You don’t know what you don’t know (yet)
8. Show Up
What one thing is going to make a huge difference? Showing up. There’s 3 ways I think about showing up:
Showing your followers who you are. More than ever, we are seeing bigger brands focus on personal branding and influencer marketing tactics, because as consumers we want to know who you are. Consistency and presence are key.
Showing up—whether it’s for your clients, team, and yourself — builds trust, resilience and reliability.
This includes showing up in person, as well as online. Trakkies and ugg boots are soooooo comfy, but once you’re out and connecting with others, it was worth the effort. I mentioned networking earlier – but it doesn’t always have to be organised groups. I have been loving doing walks and chats with other business mums, we walk, we get out, see some sunshine and chat all things family and business. That too is networking and connecting and it’s quite possibly my favourite way to do it!
The third place to be showing up is to yourself and your business. For me, working behind the scenes often feels tedious, but it’s also what moves things forwards. Keeping my bookkeeping up to date has me falling asleep faster than a dad in the passenger seat, but knowing my numbers helps me know where to focus my efforts, prioritise my energy and it helps me make smart decisions.
How about You?
I’ve learnt so much in the past 8 years, it was hard to narrow it down to just 8 lessons! Running a business is not for the faint of heart, it’s filled with imposter syndrome and competing priorities. It’s important to think about how far we have come and I hope you have gained some new insights from my 8 years in business. How we work and why we do it makes the process so much more enjoyable and now I’m really finding my groove and feeling more confident. Embracing these lessons has not only helped me navigate challenges but has also helped me grow my business authentically and sustainably.
I would love to know if any of these lessons resonate with yours, or if you have learnt different things?
