Dealing with the doubters

Author - Wendy Jack

Severn 
Business 
Services

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Dealing with the doubters

“Why don’t you just go and get a job?”

Creating and running my own business has always been a dream and, discussing my business plans with friends and family, I fully expected them to be absolutely 100% behind me, emotionally supporting me every step of the way.  Surprisingly for me, not true. Enter the doubters.

You do know you have to earn a living? 

My parents thought that running my own business would be a phase, a fad that I would grow out of, like leg-warmers or novelty pencil sharpeners.  Little did they realize that their daughter was serious, determined and committed, no matter how hard it was going to get.  I was discussing with my parents a particularly busy week networking and meeting potential clients one day and they said to me “you do know you have to earn a living, don’t you? You can’t just drink coffee all day” Seriously?  It took all my efforts to swallow the multitude of sarcastic comments that were trying to get out, wanting to scream, “oh really, I didn’t know that!”

My friends seem to think that by running my own business I can get out of bed when I feel like it, have a leisurely breakfast and work in my pyjamas until lunchtime, oh and have plenty of time to watch Jeremy Kyle!  And of course, I’m free to childmind on teacher training days too, because I’m just “messing about on the computer.” On a recent down day when I was doubting myself and wondering what to try next, a friend very kindly said to me “why are you putting yourself through this”.  “Why don’t you just go and get a job?”  Those very words made me shudder at the thought of being part of the corporate game again; office politics, commuting nightmares, KPI’s and endless policies and procedures.

Learning the lesson 

My entrepreneurial days are in their early stages but already in this journey of self-discovery and personal growth I have learnt a valuable lesson.  Now, I don’t discuss the nitty gritty of my business with potential doubters.  I love my family and friends dearly but its like-minded individuals at my local networking club I turn to instead in my hour of need.

Four Magic Words So when things are going awry (and they do quite often!); computer breaks down, business is quiet or I’m just having a lack of confidence day, I know that the people to turn to are not my friends and family but other networking club entrepreneurs who believe and understand what I’m doing and say “you CAN do it”.   Four simple, but magical words that set me back on track and invisibly carry me forward.

If creating and running your own business is your dream, join a networking group and get advice and support from like-minded individuals because the doubters will be there. In times of low confidence or when things go wrong, the doubters will be telling you to do the sensible thing and “just go and get a job!”