I may be a little late to the podcasting craze, but I’m hooked. I recently got a new phone because mine jumped off a cliff (figuratively, not literally). When I got my fancy-dancy new phone, I got a free pair of Beats Wireless headphones (sadly, not sponsored!). New gadgets = revolutionized morning routine.
Do you ever feel like you’ve lost your voice? That somehow in the rush of it all, you’ve lost track of your unique ideas, opinions, or perspective? As a small business owner, a writer, and a consultant, I feel like somewhere along the way I got so caught up in “building a business” that I forgot that at the heart and soul of this business was one single person…. Me.
Uffda. Losing your voice as a writer is a hard thing to admit, but I think it is important that I do. To take ownership of Rough Draft Solutions, to get back on my own two feet, and to feel proud of what I am doing, I have some owning-up to do.
Tunnel vision, messy desks, overbooked schedules… Does that sound familiar as a business owner? Since starting my business I’ve found that I rarely have time to reflect on the whole journey. Because if I’m not working, I’m not making money, right?
But we all know the importance of reflection. So when 2nd Brain Collective reached out and asked if they could interview me on my experiences as a business owner and the world of marketing, I eagerly agreed. There have been many highs and lows in this experience, and I figured there wasn't a better time than now to take stock of the last two years. This new podcast is all about business and marketing in the digital age. Thanks 2BC for having me!
I highly encourage you to listen to the podcast (and all of the other interesting 2BC interviews!). I promise you'll learn something new about RDS and may even laugh. ;) And if you'd like, keep reading to discover more about how I started Rough Draft Solutions.
Before I get into the nitty gritty of this post, I have an important question for you.
Do you have a personal brand?
If you answered yes, great! Keep reading, I have included several powerful tools for you to ramp up your brand!
If you answered, no, I’ve got some earth-shattering news for you. You already have a brand, whether you know it or not. And if you aren’t actively managing it, your brand is most likely working against you, instead of for you. I know, I know. You don’t need one more thing to add to your to-do list. But trust me, personal branding needs to be on your list. If it isn’t, you could quickly lose control of your personal and professional identities and find yourself in the category of wishy-washy has-been.
Have you ever asked your employees how they want to be treated? What their expectations are for you as a boss?
The way you treat your employees has a strong influence on their productivity. In order to establish a strong and successful working relationship it’s important to treat your employees with the same respect as you would treat your best customer.
From an employee perspective, here are a few ways to treat your employees well and create a relationship that is a win-win for you both.
Starting a small business has its perks. We can follow our own creative senses, plan our own timelines, and listen to no one else’s orders but our own. But when the business begins to grow and employees come on board, we must adjust. We are accustom to leading ourselves through our business ventures, but how do we instill the same level of passion, drive and commitment to quality in our growing team? How do you direct people through the ins and outs of the processes you could do in your sleep?
Today we will share tips on how to go from being your own boss to being the boss of others, and becoming the most effective leader you can be for your company. After all, if you don't lead, who will?
