Ever felt like the secret to setting up a successful training buiness was as elusive as the hunt for eternal youth? That this was a secret that, tantalisingly, others seemed to know but that for you, finding out the answer was as imposible as running fast in a dream?
You ask, ask, ask & ask again. You speak to those with successful businesses, they smile, say lots of wonderfully positive things but still there is nothing that you can grab hold of and say "Yes! That is exactly what I need to do."
It is frustrating; you know it is possible, you know you want it but you still haven't worked out you way in. If, like me, you choose the 'eternal student' route you will endlessly hunt for knowledge, not feeling ready to dip a toe in the water. Others will throw themselves into it & will worry later if the water is a lot colder than anticipated.
There is no right answer. Whatever route we choose, mistakes will be made, lost opportunites will be regretted & every so often there will be the wonderful moments when the right thing happens at the right time.
It is like piecing a large jigsaw together. A puzzle where, ever so slowly, your own future comes into focus. Maybe it is the conversation you had 3 months ago that leads to a call today offering you some work. Maybe someone will hear you talking and come to say "You are exactly the person I need to speak to." Sometimes it is you picking up the courage to say "I really believe I can help."
The secret to starting a successful business is illusive simply because for each of us our journey is different. We come to it with different skills, experience, needs wants and expectations. But, whatever our story, the turning point will always be as a result of the foundations you have carefully laid.
Foundations built from the work you have done, the skills and knowledge you bring, your willingness to step outside your comfort zone and the relationships you form.
Personally, my most important lesson was the need to reach out. Learning, that building a network is not about looking for potential clients, it is looking for potential allies. It is about finding the right people who will encourage you when your confidence is lacking, speak honestly when you are missing the obvious & nudge you in the right direction when you falter.
Like a giant spiders web, this network is strengthed and widened based on what you offer others; the support you give, the ideas you share & the passion you convey.
The reality is that there is an amazing generosity of spirit out there, if only we can find a way to plug into it. So many people ready & waiting to help, support & challenge us; we just need to find the confidence to call on it & contribute.
It may not be quite what the Gibb brothers were thinking about when they wrote Chain Reaction, but it is a wonderful feeling nonetheless when you realise you are part of such a wonderful community of professionals.
