Don't worry.... I didn't ramble on to the interviewer. I narrowed down to three aspects that I had focused on that I felt were important. Those three things ultimately helped me grow into the business and become successful.
1. NETWORKING. I never really knew what networking was all about. Today we use it almost too much and put too much "business" into the real meaning.....in my opinion. When I started out I came up with a mental list of all my friends that I knew and who I thought could help me the most. They were necessarily business relationships because I hadn't developed those yet. They were people that I knew from my everyday life and activities that I led; kids activities, church, neighbors etc. my first project involved many of the friends I had met while coaching rec league football in our community. My team mom introduced me to and was my first client. Another football coach was the general contractor. Yet another football coach fabricated all the millwork. All great connections.
2. FAITH. This isn't necessarily an easy one because no matter how much faith you have you still need action behind it to make it succeed. Even the bible tells us "Faith without Works is dead" James 2:18. You can't expect to just sit there and watch the phone until it rings......it will eventually but it'll probably be a bill collector! The faith I had was that I believed in myself. I had an earnest desire to make my new found business successful and a real need to provide for my family. They counted on me. It didn't happen overnight and it didn't happen without hard work and struggles......but it did happen.
3. DELEGATION. At first you may not have much that you can pass off on someone else. In the beginning I did it all......I had to! First there was no extra money and secondly I really didn't know who to help. And honestly the third was I just recently had a WHOLE LOT OF TIME on my hands since I quit my job to start this crazy idea of starting my own business. As time went on however I realized I needed help. Initially it was just someone to help with all the paperwork and filing. Later it was adding designers. I couldn't do it all. I needed staff. On and on it grew.....more people. Each of those employees I hired I was trusting and delegating work to. However, initially I did a lot of micro managing. I looked over their shoulder to insure everything was being done. That is a nature inclination of new business owners, but you cannot DO THE WORK FOR THEM. Later we hired consultants and others to assist our business: IT professionals, insurance professionals, payroll specialist etc. We just couldn't do it all. Delegate those tasks in order for you to have the time you need to continue to grow and market your business.
Those were the few tips I learned when beginning IONIC.....plus a lot more. I could equally write a post on the gazillion things NOT TO DO......maybe I will save that for another day.
Enjoy your day my friends and remember what I read on my fortune cookie this week.....
The greatest risk is not taking one.
So true.
D. Eugene Thompson, AIA
President + Founder
Ionic DeZign Studios, Inc.
www.ionicdezigns.com
"Creating places and spaces that enrich the lives that use them."
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