Experience is the best instructor. There is no doubting that. I could literally go down a list of things that, if I knew then what I know now, I would handle much differently. Maybe I would have changed my serpentine belt on my classic '93 Buick Century so it wouldn't have blown out on I-4. I would have published my first short story well within my five years at the University of South Florida. I would have branded and operated GoodKnocking as a business long before the legal filing date it was established. The list really does go on. So, for my side hustlers out there, here are some pointers about Painful Lessons Learned About Having A Side Hustle. And before we get into the list. Trigger warning is in effect. This list is geared towards people who have hit a rut and are looking to improve their effectiveness and elevate their business and/or brand. Humble beginnings are just that, humble beginnings. I'm not saying to walk with your head down, or to never dream of taking your side hustle up to the next level, but humility is one of the key ingredients to allowing you to run the race all the way to the end. There is some vanity in business these days, and everyone wants to show that they've hacked the system and found the quickest route to El Dorado. Watch those people's chronology. Their journey is often short, and tumultuous. Instead, be that business that stays low, builds, and stays true to its value and the brand its consumers love. In a BusinessInsider article from 2013, Francesca Zambollo of the Washington National Opera had this to say about being a know-it-all in business: "When you’re in your 20s and have that leadership gene, the bad thing is that you don’t know when to shut up. You think you know all the answers, but you don’t. What you learn later is when to just listen to everybody else. I’m finding that all those adages about being humble and listening are truer and truer as I get older." -When it comes to knowing when to speak, and when to listen, no time do I shut my mouth more than when I'm speaking to someone who refuses to acknowledge the dire need to legitimize their business. It's not always about creating a name (names change, and it's really not that hard), instead it's about liability. Prior to filing for my business status in 2014, I made all my clients and customers very aware that they were paying me, Alex Auguste. For me, though, it made sense in some scenarios and situations. But for others - caterers, hair dressers, stylists, event entertainers - there are risks associated and licensing required to even begin services. Without those necessary business filing status and licenses, you're just a really good at a hobby until further notice. Filing for Limited Liability Company (LLC) status in Florida only requires $130 (and a refile fee of $125/yr) and only requires one person to file the business into fruition. For more information about filing for LLC status, and more visit the IRS State Governments website for details on how to file your charter in your state.Squad goals are not the element you need in the beginning stages of your business. Many people I interact with always think of an idea, then decide on a secondary person that might be a good fit for moving forward with them. That is technically not a good idea, as it nearly always splits or doesn't work out. I'm a firm believer in moving solo first. Walk alone, and create the brand that you see, or dream about. Create values that you feel conviction for, and only expand when it becomes time to outsource for new talent, or you genuinely find someone who fits the mold of those values. Teams aren't for everyone, and they aren't for everything. Learn to walk alone and you'll become a great leader and follower. In being a solopreneur allows you to value the journey, the process, and obstacles you overcome. These are things, in the long run, you learn to never let anyone - even yourself, the sole proprietor - to get in the way of (yes, you can get in your own way). In a post published earlier this year (Know Thyself: How To Win in 2017), I mentioned that life deserves scheduling. Life can come at you fast, and usually we get lost in a snowball effect that leads us to the whirlwind. In the practices outlined in the 4 Disciplines of Execution, the whirlwind is the day-to-day activities that we do that we think is getting us to our goals, but is only allowing us to keep busy on daily goals. In short, and for understanding, the whirlwind is being the hamster in the wheel, working hard, but really getting nowhere. For that reason, I keep 2 to 3 goals, that I line up a small goals that lead to my major goal. Being busy, isn't always a good thing. And being a full schedule doesn't always mean true productivity. I think it might even work better for you to try and replace "I'm busy" with "I have a prior engagement" and always try to reschedule on the spot. Utilize that Google Calendar you have in that $700 smartphone. It works wonders. Read More: 21 Reasons Why You Should Not Be Proud of Being BusyI want to tell you a secret. What if I told you that there is no such thing as failure? Or that failure is a decision, or refusal to pick back up. You can lose money, but you can always get it back if you're committed. Let's look at Google. They've never truly rolled out any new softwares or features. Instead, they revisit tools and features they previously had that didn't gain wide usability and rename it. Instead of Google Hangouts Live, they've shifted their live streaming feature to YouTube Live. Most recently, they've announced the roll out of an email campaign software, which is slated to replace their now-forgotten Google Groups listserve software. They have never failed, they repurpose and strive to get better. So, if Google is 45-0, maybe our biggest challenge is to stop looking at failure as a definite end to our journey, and maybe do more evaluation of what worked or didn't work. Reflection is the key to progress. These lessons are key to stability and, I truly believe you can't grow out of your current unsatisfying situation if you can't find stable ground. I've seen failure, I've been overwhelmed with a jam-packed schedule, and I have definitely failed at building a team in the past. You live and you learn, but by understanding what it is you're looking to accomplish you can avoid the whirlwind and derailing from the values you set forth during your humble beginnings. Who knows, maybe at some point you'll find it in you to break out and change your environment. I worked at this for more than two years and, now I can proudly say my environments have changed. Reply. Comment. Share. Thanks for Reading!
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