Are you a new female entrepreneur starting your business for the first time? Are you screaming your heart: OMG I didn’t expect there are so many things I have to juggle and learn! This is especially true if you are running a creative business like me, as most of us not trained to organise numbers quickly (some are even intimidated by it!). Chances are, we feel pretty overwhelmed and beaten up. I have definitely been running around clueless like a headless chicken in my first year as a girlboss. 6 years later, combining my experience managing two businesses of my own with 10+ staff and interviewing over 50+ fellow entrepreneurs, I can proudly say I’ve overcome the overwhelm and here are the most important tips I’ve summarised for you all:
- First, breath. Understand that it is normal to feel overwhelmed
No matter how bright you are as an employee before, it is absolutely normal that there are still many things you never thought you’d encounter being your own boss for the first time. Remember that it’s impossible for anyone to be good at EVERYTHING. Understand that you are picking the challenging road to build a life of your own, it’s an extraordinary feat that takes extraordinary dedication: remember that challenges build characters. “Knowing what you don’t know” is a great step!!
Read this book to end entrepreneur overwhelm and have a realistic view on entrepreneurship:
As Michael Gerber puts it, being a business owner is 3 people in 1: the entrepreneur, the manager and the worker. Take a doctor running a clinic for the first time as an example, he might be the best as diagnosing his patient’s symtoms, but doesn’t mean he knows everything about expanding his clinic into a medical group, right? I found a summary of e-myth here from blinkist.
It’s a super easy-to-read book. Definitely worth the read to learn what to expect with realistic expectation and build efficient system for your business.
- Categorise what you have to do with lists and build a routine for the regular stuff
As a new entrepreneur you must be tempted to do whatever comes to you first (or attend to whoever is chasing hardest) BUT wait!
WHAT IS YOU MOST URGENT + IMPORTANT tast today?
Mark my words for itDon’t start on a new item until you finish your most important task,.
If you are not a “number person” like me, another biggest tip is to schedule regular time slot to do your regular item like accounting: that is a day to issue invoicing and checking if your client has paid you. It is much more efficient to do it in one single seating that do it whenever you feel like. That way you will also avoid missing anything out!
- Plan, but don’t be overly aggressive –
As the saying goes – “People overestimate what they can do in a day and underestimate what they can do in a year.” It’s a good idea not to be overly aggressive, understand that things take time. There is a learning curve to most things. It’s always a good idea to plan less and allow buffer time then to be too aggressive and failing to deliver.
- Be consistent
Don’t count on motivation, as it tend to be lost after the first 3 months. It’s showing up consistently to build your business even on the most challenging days that takes us further.
Trust me, you will get better at those admin tasks.
- Take the time to create templates
Silly as it might sound, the biggest challenge for me to run a business it’s actually all the admin and operation tasks, less so about finding business and delivering the project.
I felt so discouraged when I was trying to create a whole system for bookkeeping, job numbers and invoicing etc. I’m so glad that two years into it I’ve found an auditor/ bookkeeper that I’ve trusted to create templates for me! I wished I’ve asked earlier!
Other than bookkeeping templates, I’ve also create templates for my standard emails and work flow to different jobs.
- Asking for help is a must
No question is too small to ask. Not being ashamed to and knowing who to ask is key. The Sunny Club is one of the right places to get all your questions as a new female business owner answered!
When I’m starting to build my third business, The Sunny Club, an informational hub for working female and female entrepreneurs, it’s entirely new, I’ve seek help from business coaches like to strengthen my business positions, directions, templates and framework.
Being resourceful (which is built through asking many people many questions) and resilient is the key to being a great business owner. And trust me, the journey is worth it and definitely rewarding!
7. Don’t wait till you break to take a break!
Don’t wait until you make a million bucks to take a break! Remember you are in the game for the long haul. Having breaks for exercising, socialising with friends and personal down time will keep you productive and happy with what you do!
Remember, ending overwhelm is not a one-time event but a continuous process of self-awareness, self-care, and intentional action. By incorporating these tips into your weekly work routine, you can reduce overwhelm, stress, increase productivity, and achieve greater success as a female entrepreneur no matter what stage you are in!
